Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2006 comes into force
1 February 2007
The Order increases the limits applying to certain awards of employment tribunals and other amounts payable under employment legislation. The limit on the amount of the compensatory award for unfair dismissal increases from £58,400 to £60,600. The maximum amount of 'a week's pay' for the purpose of calculating basic or additional awards of compensation for unfair dismissal or redundancy payment increases from £290 to £310.
Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004 are extended
6 April 2007
The Regulations, which implement the Information and Consultation Directive in Great Britain, are extended to cover undertakings with 100 or more employees.
Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2006 are extended
6 April 2007
The Regulations, which introduce a statutory requirement upon employers to consult with prospective and active members of pension schemes and their representatives before making major or significant changes to future pension arrangements, are extended to cover undertakings with 100 or more employees.
Rate of statutory sick pay is increased
6 April 2007
The standard rate of statutory sick pay is increased to £70.05 per week.
Employment Equality (Age) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2007 come into force
6 April 2007
The Regulations make various amendments to legislation including providing that statutory sick pay will, in certain cases, not be prevented from arising for employees who are over pensionable age and not entitled to incapacity benefit.
In addition, they amend the Employment Act 2002 (Dispute Resolution) Regulations 2004 so that, where an employee believes that disciplinary action brought by an employer constitutes age discrimination, the employee may initiate a grievance under the statutory grievance procedure. They also clarify that the statutory age discrimination questionnaire does not constitute a grievance under the statutory grievance procedures.
Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007 come into force
6 April 2007
The Regulations amend the Work at Height Regulations 2005 to include work concerning the provision of instruction or leadership to one or more persons in connection with their engagement in caving or climbing by way of sport, recreation, team building or similar activities.
Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regualtions 2007 come into force
6 April 2007
The Regulations make it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities and services, education, disposal and management of premises and exercise of public functions.
Corporate Manslaughter Bill comes into force
During 2007
New laws on corporate manslaughter are introduced. They will create a new offence of corporate manslaughter, which would allow organisations to be prosecuted for management failures that lead to the deaths of employees and others. The new offence would apply when an individual has been killed because the senior management of an organisation has grossly failed to take reasonable care for the safety of employees or others. It would be an offence committed by organisations rather than individuals and would therefore carry a penalty of an unlimited fine rather than a custodial sentence.
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2006 come into force
Spring 2007
The Regulations consolidate the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 and the Construction (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 into one set of Regulations. They clarify health and safety obligations in construction, including restructuring the requirements so that they are grouped according to categories of duty holder.
Ban on smoking in the workplace comes into force
1 July 2007
A ban on smoking in enclosed public places, including most workplaces, comes into force.
Minimum statutory holiday entitlement increases to 24 days
1 October 2007
The statutory entitlement to paid holiday increases from 20 days to 24 days.
Data Protection Act 1998 comes fully into force
24 October 2007
Manual filing systems in existence before 24 October 1998 are now required to comply fully with the Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC).
Commission for Equality and Human Rights is introduced
October 2007
A single equality body, called the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, is introduced. The body will merge the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission, and take responsibility for the new laws outlawing workplace discrimination on grounds of age, religion or belief and sexual orientation. It will also be responsible for promoting human rights.
Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004 are extended
6 April 2008
The Regulations, which implement the Information and Consultation Directive in Northern Ireland, are extended to cover undertakings with 50 or more employees.
Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2006 are extended
6 April 2008
The Regulations, which introduce a statutory requirement upon employers to consult with prospective and active members of pension schemes and their representatives before making major or significant changes to future pension arrangements, are extended to cover undertakings with 50 or more employees.
Maternity leave is extended to 12 months
During 2009 or 2010
The Government intends to extend paid maternity leave to 12 months. This follows an extension to nine months from April 2007.