The Conservative Party have announced a range of new employment policies to deliver more rights for workers.  This also includes a commitment to increase the National Living Wage rates to raise in line with median earnings until 2022.  The full list of policies are detailed below;

1. Protection for all workers’ rights currently guaranteed by EU law. The Conservatives will guarantee all rights that workers currently enjoy as we leave the European Union
2. A commitment to increase the National Living Wage in line with median earnings until the end of the next Parliament in 2022.
3. New protections for ‘gig’ economy workers, following the Matthew Taylor Review that Theresa May established in one of her first moves after becoming Prime Minister
4. Representation for workers on company boards, under the Conservatives’ wider reforms to corporate governance.
5. A new statutory right to receive information about key decisions affecting your company’s future, subject to reasonable safeguards, and in keeping with but not exceeding the rights of shareholders.
6. A new statutory right to request leave for training purposes, to help workers gain the skills they need to retain good, well-paid jobs.
7. A new statutory right to leave to care for a family member, in line with other countries.
8. New rules to protect workers’ pensions from irresponsible behaviour by company bosses, like unsustainable dividends and takeovers that put the future of the pension scheme at risk.
9. Reforms to the Equalities Act to extend protections from discrimination to those suffering fluctuating or intermittent mental health conditions.
10. A statutory right to child bereavement leave, for those who suffer the tragedy of losing a child.
11. The introduction of new returnships for people returning to the labour market from a period of absence, including from parenthood and elderly care.

The Conservative Party Manifesto is scheduled to be published later this week and ACS will provide members with a full update.