Changes over the years
1996 - We saw changes to the following
Employment Rights Act - Employment Particulars
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Written statement of employment particulars required setting out terms and conditions of employment
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May include references to applicable collective agreements
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Must specify disciplinary rules and grievance procedures
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Protection of Wages and Guarantee Payments
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Unauthorised deductions not permitted subject to exceptions, including participation in industrial action, overpayment, cash shortages or stock deficiencies
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Pay for workless day guaranteed to maximum per day
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Sunday Working: Shop and betting workers may refuse Sunday work if employed prior to Sunday legislation commencement date, those employed after may opt out with three months’ notice
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Protected Disclosures: Amendments from Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 provide protection for disclosure of specified matters including worker health and safety and damage to environment
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Detriment in Employment: Protection from employer retaliation including health and safety activities, refusal to carry out unsafe work, refusal to work Sundays if protected worker, refusal to work contrary to Working Time Regulations 1998, carrying out representative duties, taking family or domestic leave
Family, Domestic, Maternity, Parental and Other Leave
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Entitlement to time off for to make domestic arrangements or look for work if declared redundant
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Time off for medical appointments for pregnant employee, maternity leave no less than 18 weeks and parental leave up to 13 weeks, employment protection and right of return
Termination and Unfair Dismissal
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One month minimum notice period for termination or resignation, may agree to pay in lieu, employee entitled to written statement of reasons for dismissal
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Must be employed one year for unfair dismissal complaint, subject to exceptions such as for taking protected industrial action, exercising health and safety rights, acting as employee representative
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Complaint to be within three months of dismissal
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Compensatory award cap
Redundancy Payments
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Eligibility two years continuous service, normal retiring age excepted, claim must be made within six months, weekly cap
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Entitlement where employer ceasing to carrying on business for which employee employed or lay off/short time for four consecutive weeks, six in thirteen weeks
1996 Employment Tribunals Act
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Employment [then "industrial"] tribunals to cover all matters arising out of employment contracts along with specified duties set out in various Acts
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Tribunal to consist of a chair and representative of employee and employer interests, subject to agreement otherwise
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Person may appear in person or with representative
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Tribunal panel may conduct own review of decision in limited circumstances
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Employment Appeal Tribunal to hear appeals from tribunal decisions on questions of law only under Employment Rights Act 1996, also appeals under various other Acts
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Cases heard by judge and members appointed equally from employee and employer interests
Phew what a year for change!
Also in the news
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Best Selling Album – Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette
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Best Selling Film – Independence Day
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Dolly the sheep the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell is born at the Roslin Institute Scotland
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The Spice Girls first single Wannabe is released
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The Prince and Princess of Wales complete their divorce proceedings
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Ford launches its revolutionary new KA city car
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People in the news that died in this year: Actor Jon Pertwee