Employment Law Changes - April 2013

Collective Consultation

At present employers seeking to make 100 or more employees redundant within a 90 day period, must begin consultation at least 90 days before any dismissals can take effect. From 6 April 2013 this 90 day minimum period will be reduced to 45 days.

There will be no change to the 30 day minimum period where at least 20, but less than 100, employees are affected. For employees on fixed term contracts, employers need not consult collectively with them and they will not count towards the numbers of affected employees, unless they are being made redundant before their fixed term contracts end.

ACAS will publish a non-statutory code of practice to provide guidance on issues such as when the consultation should start, who should be consulted, what should be discussed and when the consultation shall be considered to be complete.