This one day course will give delegates an overview of the most recent developments in employment legislation as well as preparing them for imminent changes.

• HR and personnel professionals
• Operational and line managers
• Employee relations advisors
• Equality advisors
• In-house lawyers

9.30 – Introduction

The Equality Act – one year on

• 1 October 2010 – Majority of provisions in force
• April 2011 – Public sector single duty and positive action in recruitment and promotion in force, default retirement age abolished
• 1 May 2011 – New disability guidance in force
• 14 September 2011 – voluntary framework on gender pay reporting
• The future?

Age discrimination update

• Key case law update
• The new law on ‘unfair dismissal’ now that retirement will rarely be permitted
• ACAS guidance on age discrimination and managing capability: applying this in practice
• Performance management
• The greater risk of age discrimination claims as managers deal with an older workforce
• Establishing new benefits structures

Agency Workers Regulations 2010

• In force 1 October 2011 – New agency worker rights
• Definitions – temp, casual, worker, employee
• Equal treatment principle
• The 12 week qualifying period
• Use of comparators
• Pay and benefits
• Access to facilities
• Penalties for non-compliance
• Problem areas

Bribery Act 2010

• Impact of the Bribery Act 2010
  • Updating policies
  • Process investigation and records
  • External disclosure
  • Key case law on Whistleblowing
• Section 1 – paying, offering promising a bribe
• Section 2 – receiving, soliciting, agreeing to receive a bribe
• Section 6 – bribing a foreign public official
• Section 7 – failure by a commercial organisation to prevent bribery

Penalties

• Individuals: up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or unlimited fine
• Corporates: unlimited fine

Update on family friendly rights

• Overview of the relevant legislation
• Changes to paternity leave and pay
  • What it means for employers in practice
  • Impact on maternity leave
• Parental and dependant leave
• Changes to flexible working

Social media

• Update on developments in use of social media in the workplace
• A social media policy and best practice
• Should you amend your contract and disciplinary policy
• Key cases and the tribunal approach
• Trade unions/Industrial action
• Recent developments in industrial action cases
• Understanding strikes and action short of a strike
• Sympathetic action and secondary action – any exceptions
• Practical tips on managing the relationship
• Controlling adverse social media campaigns

Case law update

We will look at the key decsions of the last 12 months and the impact on the workplace and employment rights including:

• Holiday, sickness annual leave and pay (Tapere v South London and Maudsley NHS Trust)
• TUPE and ETO reasons (Oakland v Wellswood (Yorkshire) Ltd on TUPE and pre-pack administration; Preece v JD Wetherspoons plc ET2104806/10 dismissal for posting on facebook; McKie v Swindon College [2011]  employer liable for negligent statements about employee in an email;
• Dealing with redundancy of women on maternity leave (Eversheds Legal Services Ltd v De Belin UKEAT/0352/10)

Legislation on the horizon

• Auto-pension enrolment
• Resolving workplace disputes and employment tribunal fees
• Modern Workplaces Consultation

16.30 – Close

£349 plus VAT (discounts available for multiple bookings)

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Employment_Law_Update (134KB)