Work/Life - international employment news update

Briefing

Issue 108

Welcome to the latest edition of our international employment news update.

In this edition we look at:

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Most Bolt drivers in the UK recognised as workers

Thousands of drivers for the ride-hailing app Bolt have won a UK legal claim to be classified as workers rather than self-employed. This decision would entitle them to benefits such as holiday pay and minimum wage, potentially leading to over GBP200 million in compensation (though the method to calculate this, including allocation of driver costs, is likely to be hotly disputed). The Employment Tribunal's ruling applies specifically to drivers who do not use multiple ride-hailing apps, highlighting that Bolt held significant control over its drivers, contradicting the company's stance.

Approximately 15,000 current and former Bolt drivers are reportedly involved. The tribunal found that the relationship between Bolt and its drivers does not indicate agency but rather an employer/worker dynamic. This ruling follows similar cases including the Supreme Court's decision regarding Uber drivers in 2021.

While Bolt is contemplating an appeal, it maintains that most of its drivers use multiple platforms. The GMB union noted this ruling goes beyond the Uber case and called for universal worker rights across the industry.

Four-day work week in the UK

The government is permitting the introduction of a four-day working week in parts of the public sector. Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner scrapped formal opposition to South Cambridgeshire council's shorter working hours initiative, earning praise from trade unions and criticism from Conservative ministers for "micromanaging." Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, has also proposed a four-day week for Tube drivers to prevent strikes.

Though a four-day week for five days’ pay isn't official government policy, unions are celebrating and lobbying for broader implementation.

The trial in South Cambridgeshire showed mixed results, with reportedly some service declines and increased agency costs. Critics like Nigel Farage and former MP Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg argue this policy burdens taxpayers and benefits unions disproportionately.

UK data reveals fathers more prone to remote working than mothers

According to recent analysis by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), fathers are more likely than mothers to divide their working time between home and office settings. Managers are significantly more inclined than their staff members toward remote work; 45% of individuals in senior positions use a hybrid working model compared with just 27% of all employees. This analysis illuminates how shifting towards hybrid work may magnify existing social disparities—official statistics indicate considerable variation across age groups, job types, and educational levels concerning remote working capabilities.

The ONS remarked that although exclusive homeworking has waned since 2021, a hybrid working arrangement—entailing partial commutes combined with time spent at home—has established itself as 'the new normal' for about one-quarter of workers. In 2022 they queried: "Is hybrid working here to stay?". Current data indicates so, but disproportionately so among some demographics.

Amazon denies in-office mandate as a 'backdoor layoff'

Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy asserts that the company's controversial plan, which mandates workers to return to Amazon offices every day starting next year—up from three days now—is not intended to encourage attrition, as many employees have speculated. Employees claim that the requirement for staff to be in-office five days per week is stricter than similar policies at other tech companies, arguing it will reduce efficiency due to commute times.

Amazon employees who consistently fail to comply with the mandate have been informed they will be considered as "voluntarily resigning" and will be locked out of company systems.

"A number of people I've seen theorised that the reason we were doing this is, it's a backdoor layoff, or we made some sort of deal with city or cities," Jassy stated during an all-hands meeting on Tuesday. "I can tell you both of those are not true. You know, this was not a cost play for us. This is very much about our culture and strengthening our culture," he added.

UK working from home staff are napping on the job, research suggests

Research indicates that nearly 10% of Britons take naps during "office hours" when working from home, leading to a supposed GBP500 million weekly loss in productivity. Extrapolation from the poll (spoiler: commissioned by an energy drink Reign Storm) also suggested that more than three million workers have left their jobs due to issues related to tiredness, with younger workers being the most affected. Workers in this bracket were the most likely to call in sick because of tiredness, with one in five of those aged 18-24 admitting to doing so. The analysis of napping on the job when working from home comes shortly after a survey by KPMG found that over a third of employers expect staff to be in the office at least four days a week, with many planning to use technology to monitor attendance. Separate polling shows that a significant number of chief executives are still working from home.

In this series