'We're going to act' | Fair Work Agency chief urges workers & public to report labour abuses

The head of the new Fair Work Agency (FWA) has urged workers and members of the public to report suspected labour abuses, as the government seeks to strengthen enforcement of employment rights across the UK.

Speaking to The Telegraph in his first major interview since taking up the role, Matthew Taylor said the agency had already seen a rise in reports since its launch in April and pledged that it would “respond to every single call” made through its reporting channels.

Taylor said complaints could range from concerns over pay to serious labour exploitation.

“They might be calling about the fact that they don’t think they’re getting the minimum wage,” he told The Telegraph. “[Or] because they’ve been to a hand car wash, and they are worried about what they’ve seen. Or people may have been victims of higher-end labour abuse, right up to modern slavery. So, we get referrals from a whole variety of places.”