Currently, there is no clear winner forecasted for the general election on 6th May 2010. Employers in Dorset should be aware of the key points of each of the three main parties’ employment policies, as changes to employment law are likely to depend on the result.
Frettens' Employment Partner, Kate Fretten, outlines some key points for each party:
"If Labour wins another term it will be business as usual. They want to continue to build on 13 years of employment legislation, which, they argue, has produced business flexibility and fairness in providing protection for workers. An example of this is the Equality Act which aims to bring all strands of discrimination law within one piece of legislation. It is also Labour’s intention to remain at the heart of Europe. Whether or not the era of major employment regulation is over, remains to be seen."
The Conservatives believe that Labour have not got the right balance between employee and employer rights. Kate explains "The Conservatives believe that the labour market is so over-regulated that organisations’ competitiveness is stifled and employers are often put off employing people. They want to reduce the amount of employment regulation and bring employment law back from Europe to the UK. They have signaled that they may produce regulations on a ‘one in, one out’ basis. The Conservatives have pledged to extend the right to flexible working to all parents of children under the age of 18. They would also introduce a new system of flexible parental leave, allowing parents to share maternity leave between them after the mother has taken the first 14 weeks."
The line taken by the Liberal Democrats is similar in some respects to the Conservatives, particularly concerning regulation, since they also propose the ‘one in, one out’ concept. Kate says "The Liberal Democrats’ have the most far-reaching proposals on the right to request flexible working, which they would extend to all employees, not just parents and carers. They believe that the current situation can cause resentment among other staff and stigmatises flexible working. The right of employers to refuse a request would, however, remain unchanged. The Liberal Democrats’ proposals on maternity leave are similar to the Conservatives, replacing maternity and paternity leave with parental leave allowing parents to share 12 months’ leave in whatever way suits them best. Unlike the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats are committed to equal pay audits as the most effective way of reducing the equal pay gap."
Whichever party wins, or indeed if we have a coalition government, employers ought to keep themselves well advised of any changes affecting their employment policies. To ensure they are up to date, local HR professionals can register for the free, monthly employment law newsletter.