In 2024, there are significant challenges to accessing justice in employment rights for the most vulnerable of workers.
Members of Trust for London's Employment Legal Advice Network (ELAN), all charities improving knowledge of and access to employment rights' justice, voted for their top four asks for any post July 5th Government:
- Extend time limits to bringing to the employment tribunal, from 3 months to at least 6 months (to allow for knowledge of rights and meaningful dispute resolution).
- Introduce early education on work rights and responsibilities (all school leavers go on to work or be employers).
- Inquiry & report into the exploitation of migrant workers in the health and social care sector (we can and must do better for the vulnerable workers looking after our loved ones).
- Personal liability of Directors where a Respondent company fails to honour an Employment Tribunal award (the not-for-profit sector report that many Employment Tribunal awards are not paid. It is simply not fair that you can navigate 1-2 years of litigation, win your case and not receive a penny).
The Migrant Workers Working Group ask for:
- A properly funded and resourced Single Enforcement Body
- Firewall between Immigration and Employment rights
- Genuine working relationship with frontline organisations and government to identify issues and implement solutions as set out in the many recommendations made by the sector including with regard to the social care sector.
- Adopt a preventative approach to exploitation including introducing safe routes for immigration.
- Introduce a right to work for those in the national referral mechanism.