New Government, new laws

Today the Government has brought into force a number of changes to employment legislation. These changes were enacted in the last Parliament but come into effect today. These changes: make exclusivity Today the Government has brought into force a number of changes to employment legislation. These changes were enacted in the last Parliament but come into effect today. These changes:

• make exclusivity clauses in zero hours contracts unenforceable and give it wide ranging powers to make further provisions in relation to zero hours contracts in the future;


• increase the financial penalty for under payments of the National Minimum Wage to £20,000 per underpaid worker;


• extend directors duties under the Companies Act 2006 to shadow directors;


• give it the power to make Regulations protecting applicants for employment in the health service from discrimination on grounds that they appear to the NHS employer to have whistle blown; and


• introduce the concept in England of approved English apprenticeships which replace the current apprenticeship agreements.


 

It will be interesting to see which of the Conservative manifesto pledges make it into the Queen's Speech but Business Secretary, Sajid Javid, said over the weekend that the Conservative deregulation agenda will not see a return to the radical Beecroft proposals and that the Government would not be introducing the concept of no fault dismissals proposed by Adrian Beecroft. Our regular Blogs will keep you posted about the changes that lie ahead as the Government's agenda becomes more clear.