Retailers beg Labour not to ‘regulate jobs out of existence’ as major overhaul planned

Retail industry leaders have urged the Government not to eliminate flexible employment through its proposed overhaul of zero-hours contracts. The British Retail Consortium issued its warning on Sunday, labelling the reforms as "poorly designed" and cautioning that they could jeopardise opportunities for numerous workers. Recently, ministers unveiled details last week of plans that would guarantee hours for employees currently on zero-hours or short-hours arrangements. The proposals have drawn criticism from multiple quarters, with unions, employers and trade bodies all raising concerns about the potential impact of the changes, which are scheduled to take effect next year. A consultation has been launched on new rules that would compel employers to offer staff on zero-hours or minimal-hours contracts a set number of weekly hours based on regular working patterns. The Government has indicated its preference for workers to receive guaranteed hours ranging from eight to 20 per week, applicable to those whose current contracts fall at or below that threshold. These changes form part of the Guaranteed Hours consultation, which follows the recent Milburn Review that highlighted significant challenges in youth employment, with over one million people aged 16 to 24 currently outside education, employment or training. Research commissioned by the BRC revealed that two-thirds of part-time employees chose their roles specifically because they required flexibility to accommodate other commitments, including studying, looking after children or fulfilling caring duties. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Economy alert: GDP expected to PLUMMET as US-Iran war pushes fuel prices up 'I started a travel business — then Covid hit': How one mum beat the odds to make £1.3m a year Stock market disaster as S&P 500 and Nasdaq COLLAPSE amid AI bubble fears The trade body also pointed to the significant proportion of the retail workforce employed on a part-time basis, with the figure standing at 57.8 per...