New laws to protect workers against ‘slavery’ could stamp out abuses of power, a Midlands lawyer has said.
Penalties for employers who force people to continue working beyond their agreed hours without their consent could be heavily fined or face a jail sentence of up to 14 years under a law introduced in April.
Toni Sharp, of Wright Hassall solicitors in Leamington Spa, said that the changes had been made primarily to protect migrant workers but could also have a knock-on effect on the wider business community.
“These changes will help to protect workers who are suffering from oppressive working conditions, particularly those who are brought to the UK from abroad,” Ms Sharp said.
“If employers force employees to keep working beyond their agreed hours, without their consent, and make threats to them – such as refusing to pay wages – they may face harsh penalties under the new legislation.
“Such a practice is mainly observed in lower paid jobs where migrant workers tend to be found because workers are often more vulnerable and unaware of their rights.
“But by tightening the law, this should act as a warning shot to bosses in more established sectors, who tend to push the boundaries when making demands of their staff.
“Most employees are willing to work a reasonable amount of unpaid overtime, but if their employer begins to demand further unpaid work without the voluntary agreement of staff, then they could breach this new law and potentially be in breach of the Working Time Regulations.
“Hopefully, this provision and associated penalites will act as a preventative measure against the poor treatment of some employers and encourage a fairer system of working.”
