Working Time Directive
ACCA comments on Working Time Directive:
Victoria Jonson, ACCA Senior Policy Advisor said: "We support the aims of the Working Time Directive in terms of preventing exploitation of workers, but should point out that is another example of legislators using a model aimed at big business and applying it inappropriately to smaller companies, which make up 99% of UK business. The government successfully applied the pledge to 'think small first' into the recent company law reform bill but not so here.
"Small businesses operate completely differently to larger companies. They often have closer relationships with staff, as all the employees work together, whereas larger company environments can sometimes be more impersonal, with subsequent pressure to work longer hours. While it is not a one-way street, we do worry that many small businesses and their employees will effectively be discriminated against as a result of the WTD."