A recent study by contracting specialists ContractorCalculator has revealed that over 80% of self-employed workers do not want any rights at all.
Its survey of 250 freelancers also revealed that 88% do not want maternity/paternity rights; 82% do not want sickness pay; 75% do not want to be forced into auto-enrolment of a pension; and 94% do not want any restrictions on hours worked and are happy to manage their own work affairs.
The results come as Uber drivers await the verdict of an employment tribunal, which will decide whether they should be classed as workers rather than self-employed and should therefore be entitled to the same rights as employees – the minimum wage, sickness pay, holiday pay, a pension and other statutory benefits.
The survey results also signal a clear message to HMRC in lights of its plans to set up a new unit, the employment status and intermediaries team, to target the exploitation of the self-employed.
Dave Chaplin, CEO and Founder of Contractor Calculator, said: “It is clear from the results of our research that freelancers and contractors love the gig economy and do not want rights. The Government needs to understand that media reports associated with self-employed couriers and drivers who are part of the gig economy do not paint the full picture of self-employment. There are thousands upon thousands of the self-employed working on a business-to-business basis who are very happy with the way they work and the last thing they want is further legislative burdens. They do not see themselves as vulnerable workers.
“It seems that some firms are using the on-demand gig-economy to effectively suppress workers’ rights and pay them less than the minimum wage and these firms should be challenged about how they treat their workers and should be forced to treat them fairly and appropriately. But this simply isn’t the case for all self-employed workers. 78% of the freelance workforce have chosen to work this way, they want to be responsible for themselves and their businesses and they do not want rights. They should be allowed to get on with it.”