The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has set out the implementation dates for regulatory employment reforms in 2013. Among other things, it indicates that legislation implementing the revised employment tribunal rules of procedure will be brought into force in April and changes to the Equality Act 2010 are scheduled to be in place in March.
Kate Fretten, Employment Partner, says “The Statement sets out the timetable for, and estimated financial impact of, a range of measures slated for implementation next year. With regard to employment law, most of the significant changes are set for either a March or April implementation date.” In March 2013, BIS intends to bring in the following changes:
- increasing the right to parental leave to 18 weeks per parent per child and extend the right to request flexible leave to agency workers on return from parental leave;
- removing employers’ potential liability under for harassment by a third party under the Equality Act 2010; and
- removing the statutory questionnaire procedure for discrimination cases.
Then in April 2013, legislation will be enacted to:
- remove the requirement for a 90-day consultation period for collective redundancies of 100 or more employees, reducing it down to 45 days; and
- revise the Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure; and
- implement a change to the protection for whistle blowers under the Employment Rights Act 1996 so that disclosures are only protected if they can reasonably be said to be ‘in the public interest’.
For a free initial meeting please call 01202 499255 and Kate or Paul will be happy to discuss any questions you may have.
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