The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has welcomed the recommendations of the Taylor Review of modern working practices, which has been published by the government.

The report sets out a series of recommendations on flexible working and increasing skills for employees.

The review proposes seven principles which aim to address the challenges in the labour market, including recommendations for people working for platform-based companies like Deliveroo to be reclassified as dependent contractors, developing strategies to ensure that people are not “stuck” on the National Living Wage rate, and avoiding increases in the associated costs of employing people such as the Apprenticeship Levy.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The conclusion of the Taylor Review moves us towards greater clarity on the status of people in different work circumstances. We welcome the review’s focus on ensuring that employers and other stakeholders are engaged in a programme to look at increasing productivity, developing skills and defining the role of technology, and we look forward to working with Government on behalf of the convenience sector.”

The review also recommends government to ask the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to advise on the impact of bringing in a higher national minimum wage for hours which are not guaranteed in a contract to ensure that flexibility is a “mutually beneficial arrangement”.

Lowman added: “We are concerned about the introduction of a separate rate of the national minimum wage for non-guaranteed hours, as this could lead to less flexibility for both employers and staff, as well as higher costs at a time when retailers are already having to cut back staff hours in their business.”

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