The UK government has published the latest round of amendments in the Employment Rights Bill. Improvement of employment rights is inherently linked to better mental health for those of us in work and the Mental Health Foundation considers good employment to be one of the ‘building blocks’ of positive mental health.
The amendments also included reforms to statutory sick pay as well as zero-hours contracts. Research from the Mental Health Foundation has identified potential areas where zero-hours contracts could be harmful.
Alexa Knight, Director of England at the Mental Health Foundation, said:
“The Employment Rights Bill has the potential to be a hugely consequential piece of legislation for the mental health of people in this country. For many of us, work takes up a significant portion of our day-to-day lives, and being in secure, paid employment at a workplace that values the health of employees makes a hugely positive difference to our mental health. Even for those of us in the workplace who’ve never experienced a mental health problem, improving our rights as workers will better protect us from the stress and anxiety that come along with poor treatment or a sudden loss of income.
“In particular, the reforms to statutory sick pay are vital for improving mental health and may contribute to reducing the amount of people who fall out of work when their mental health deteriorates because they did not take time to recover. Everyone needs to have the protection to take time to recover when they are unwell, without worrying about whether they will have enough money to make it through the following month.
“We’re very pleased to see the end of exploitative zero-hours contracts for agency workers too, which research has linked to experiencing mental health difficulties, alongside low pay, limited hours and under-employment. Research has found that feelings of powerlessness and uncertainty about working hours contribute to poor mental health and well-being . By banning zero-hours contracts outright, the UK government will be affording people greater protection against exploitation and workplace practices that harm our wellbeing.”