The FPB is concerned that government proposals to overhaul UK workers' rights could backfire, creating serious staffing problems for many small businesses. The FPB believes that small firms are likely to suffer because of a plan to extend the benefits enjoyed by full-time employees to temporary workers and another to encourage ‘flexible working' by extending to employees who are parents with older children the right to request time off work. The Prime Minister insisted that flexible working is "no obstacle" to business success. However, Mr Brown also backed a controversial proposal from the European Union (EU) that would give temporary workers the same rates of pay, holiday entitlement and other benefits as permanent employees. The FPB is calling on the Government to preserve both flexibility of the current temporary labour market, which makes it attractive to both employers and workers, and the right of employers to reject requests from staff to work fewer hours, based on sound business reasons.
FPB