The Department of Trade and Industry has published the current timetable for regulatory changes that are expected to apply during 2006. The following list concentrates on those changes that are likely to be relevant in the context of Payroll and HR.

6 April 2006

• The Information and Consultation of Employees (Amendment) Regulations will make a minor amendment to the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) Regulations. The change will affect employers with 150 employees or more. They will ensure that, in certain circumstances, employers proposing to make a listed pensions change in accordance with DWP's Pensions (Consultation of Employees) Regulations do not need to consult under the ICE Regulations as well. The Regulations will be laid early in January 2006 and will come into force in April 2006.
  
  Further information: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/consultation/proposal.htm
  
  
• The revision of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE) will take on board amendments to the EC Acquired Rights Directive. This will provide more clarity as to whether or not the regulations apply to particular contracting-out or analogous situations.
  
  Further information: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/tupe-pl699.htm

1 October 2006

• Implementation of the age discrimination strand of the European Employment Directive, which will outlaw unjustified age discrimination in employment and vocational training. The Government consulted on draft regulations in summer 2005. The aim is to lay final regulations before Parliament in February 2006 and, subject to parliamentary approval, the legislation is scheduled to come into force on 1 October 2006.
  
  Further information: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/equality/age.htm
  
  The Low Pay Commission will present its next report on the National Minimum Wage to Government in February 2006. The report will review the levels of the minimum wage rates and make recommendations, if appropriate, for change on 1 October 2006.
  
  Further information: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/nmw
  
  
• The Employment Act 2002 (Amendment Order) 2006 will extend the scope of the statutory dispute resolution procedure to include a number of new areas. The areas will include Information and Consultation Representatives and representatives appointed under the Occupational Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers) Regulations. This will ensure that employers and employees should be subject to the statutory resolution processes before any complaint to an employment tribunal may be made. DTI will consult early in 2006 and, if appropriate, any changes will be made in October 2006.
  
  Further information: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/resolvingdisputes.htm
  
  
• The Work and Families Bill will provide for
  
  
  • an extension of Statutory Maternity and Adoption paid leave from six to nine months and will apply where the expected week of childbirth is on or after 6 April 2007
    
    
  • the removal of qualifying criteria for Additional Maternity Leave so that all mothers will be able to take up to one year off work
    
    
  • an increase in the notice period that mothers must give to employers if they change their return dates, from 28 days to eight weeks
    
    
  • optional 'Keeping In Touch Days', allowing employees the chance to go into work to undertake training and keep in touch with major developments without losing their right to pay
    
    
  • employers to have the right to make reasonable contact with their employees during maternity leave
    
    
  • the Maternity Pay Period to start on any day, to help to align the leave with the pay period
    
    
  • an option for Statutory Maternity Pay to be paid on a daily basis rather than a weekly basis
    
    
  • the extension of the right to request flexible working to carers of adults.
    
    

  Consultation on the draft regulations on the extension of Statutory Maternity and Adoption paid leave, as well as the extension of the right to request flexible working to carers of adults, will take place early in 2006.
  
  Further information: www.dti.gsi.gov.uk/workandfamilies
  
  

• Early in 2006 the DTI will consult on clarifying the law in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 relating to collective redundancies following the ECJ case of Junk v Kuhnel (namely, that consultation must be completed before redundancy notices are issued).
  
  Further information: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/redundancy/consult-pl833a.htm

...back to 9 February 2006

Sources:
Common Commencement Dates 2006

The UK Payroll News is sponsored by HRD & Payroll Solutions

Discuss this news item in the PayPerShop Forum

The draft simplification plan announced by the DTI promises to deliver more than £;1 billion in regulatory savings by 2010. The plan covers all areas of DTI policy, including company law, the operation of Companies House and the Patent Office and implementation of the Hampton report's recommendations on risk-based compliance inspections.

Also in the plan is a new programme of work on employment law which aims to simplify rules and improve guidance in those areas that businesses have identified as being difficult to understand. This includes work on the statement of employment particulars, the redundancy law framework, the maternity pay and leave regime, targeted enforcement and inspection in keeping with Hampton principles, a review of dispute resolution procedures, and plans to ensure that future changes to the law are packaged so that business knows exactly what initiatives are coming and when.

Businesses are invited to submit their ideas for cutting red tape via the DTI website.

...back to 8 December 2005

Sources:
DTI can cut red tape by £;1 billion - help us do more
Cutting red tape: Your views wanted!

The UK Payroll News is sponsored by HRD & Payroll Solutions

Discuss this news item in the PayPerShop Forum