Almost 1 in 10 workers have been ‘fired and rehired’ since start of the Covid crisis

New polling from the TUC reveals that the controversial practice of 'fire and re-hire' has become widespread during the Covid-19 pandemic as has the downgrading of workers' rights

New polling from the TUC has revealed that almost 1 in 10 workers have been 'fired and rehired' since the Covid-19 crisis began in March 2020.

The survey of more than 2,000 people in England and Wales, who were either working, on furlough, or recently redundant in November 2020, reveals that 9 per cent had been told to re-apply for their jobs on worse terms and conditions, and that the picture is even bleaker for Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers, young workers, and workers from lower socio-economic groups -

• nearly a fifth (18 per cent) of 18 to 24 year-olds said their employer has tried to re-hire them on inferior terms during the pandemic;
• workers in lower socio-economic groups (12 per cent) were nearly twice as likely than those from higher groups (7 per) to have been told to re-apply for their jobs under worse terms and conditions; and
• BME workers (15 per cent) have been faced with ‘fire and rehire’ at nearly twice the rate of white workers (8 per cent).

The polling also reveals that nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of workers in Britain have experienced a downgrading of their terms during the crisis - including through reduced pay or changes to working hours - rising to around a third of young workers (34 per cent) and 3 in 10 low-paid workers (30 per cent).

Commenting on the findings, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said today -

‘Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect at work. Forcing people to re-apply for their jobs on worse terms and conditions is plain wrong. 

Fire and re-hire tactics have no place in modern Britain and must be outlawed. 

Boris Johnson promised to make the UK the best place in the world to work in. It’s high time he delivered on this promise. 

That means fast-tracking his much-delayed employment bill. And it means abandoning any attempt to water down hard-won workers’ rights from the EU.’

For more information, see ‘Fire and rehire’ tactics have become widespread during pandemic warns TUC.

NB - the Labour Party plans to force a vote in the House of Commons today on employment rights and protections including, amongst other measures, a call for the introduction of legislation to end employers using the tactic of firing and rehiring.