Last November, The Gym Group hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. Frank Field MP, chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee, placed the company’s PT contracts in the spotlight. He argued that restrictions placed on the company's "freelance independent" PTs in fact make them employees, who should be entitled to the "rights and protections that come with that status".
Self-employed PTs have helped low-cost operators to grow their businesses and engage more people in health and fitness. But while many PTs report that the self-employed set-up can work well for them, others disagree. With the government now showing an interest, it appears that the industry may have to look more closely at its current PT employment practices to ensure a fairer deal for all. But what does this entail?
