Different ways of working: reforming employment law, tax and social security for the 21st century

Recent events – from employment litigation about the status of ‘gig economy workers’ and the abortive attempt to increase National Insurance contributions for the self-employed earlier this year, through to rising concerns about ‘tax driven’ incorporation – have highlighted an urgent need to rethink established structures for regulating and taxing the UK labour market. Whilst many of the problems are not new, innovative technology and entrepreneurship magnify the challenges and opportunities they present.  

The Taylor Review on Modern Employment Practices is currently being completed and government will need to return to this problem after the forthcoming General Election. Despite many discussions, however, there have been few attempts to break down the disciplinary boundaries between labour economics, employment law and tax; comparative perspectives are similarly rare. Many proposals do not stem from the holistic examination needed to provide fair, effective and sustainable solutions.

This conference brings together leading speakers from the worlds of economics, employment law, taxation and social security and introduces perspectives from Sweden, France, Australia and the USA.  Contributors will consider recent trends in the labour market and explore their implications for employment law, social security, and equitable taxation of those both at the lower and higher ends of the earnings spectrum.

Speakers and the audience will include policy makers, practitioners, academics, social partners and representatives of professional bodies and think tanks; there will be ample opportunity for questions and discussion. We are grateful to the ESRC, Oxford Law and Economics Faculties, the Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation and the British Academy for their financial and organisational support.

We expect demand for places to exceed the space available so we are requesting that people initially express their interest to attend this conference by registering here.
If you have already spoken to one of the organisers about attending the conference, can we still request that you complete the expression of interest form.