18 April 2019

The EU has introduced new rules to offer more protection to workers in the 'gig' economy, including the right to compensation for short-notice cancellation of shifts; a ban on exclusivity clauses; a "day one" right to a description of their duties, standard working day, and pay information; and mandatory training for which workers will be paid at their usual rate.

The new protections are intended to serve as a baseline on which Member States can build, and all EU countries are now expected to follow the Directive within three years.

Whether or not they will apply in the UK will depend on whether they are brought into domestic law before the UK leaves the EU, as well as whether a post-Brexit government makes the decision to scrap EU workers' rights.