Last edited 24 Aug 2021

Limb (b)

The Employment Rights Act 1996 defines two main employment statuses for employment rights: ‘employee’ and ‘worker’. Employees are defined as limb (a) and workers are defined as limb (b).

Generally, limb (b) workers:

  • carry out casual or irregular work for one or a number of organisation(s),
  • receive holiday pay, but not other employment rights such as the minimum period of statutory notice, after one month of continuous service
  • only carry out work if they choose to
  • have a contract or other arrangement to do work or services personally for a reward (the contract doesn’t have to be written) and they only have a limited right to send someone else to do the work, for example, swapping shifts with someone on a pre-approved list (subcontract)
  • are not in business for themselves (they do not advertise services directly to customers who can then also book their services directly)

In 2021, the government launched a consultation, proposing to change the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations,to legally require employers to provide PPE to limb (b) workers. Limb (b) workers are workers who carry out casual or irregular work for one or a number of organisations.

Ref https://consultations.hse.gov.uk/hse/cd289-amends-ppe-work-regs-1992/

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