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Upcoming employment law changes

Your Legal Diary

Keep up to date with the upcoming changes to employment law legislation here!

You'll be able to reduce your risk of penalties and prepare your business for all the important employment law changes to come over the next few months - so get your calendars ready and take note.

12 October 2009

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act to launch centralised vetting system for people prohibited from working with children and vulnerable adults

This will allow employers to make checks online, with information updated as soon as a person is added to the list.

Employers will be informed, where possible, if a person becomes barred. Fines of up to £5,000 will also be issued for employers that knowingly employ people on the list or fail to make the appropriate checks

(12 October 2009)

Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) (No. 2) Regulations 2009 come into force

The Regulations alter the purposes for which an application for an enhanced criminal records certificate can be made. This will allow certificates to be sought for people who are undertaking regulated activities relating to children or vulnerable adults under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. The Regulations also lay down the conditions in which those making an application may receive information on whether or not a person is prohibited from working with children or vulnerable adults.

(Date to be confirmed)

Right to request time off for training - Date to be confirmed

A right to request time off to undertake training, based on the right to request flexible working, is introduced.

Employers will be required to seriously consider the requests they receive, but will be able to refuse a request where there is a legitimate business reason to do so. However, employers will not be required to meet salary of training costs to enable a request for time off for training to be met.