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ARTICLE · 17 MARCH 2009

Employment Law Changes To Take Effect From April 2009

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang
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The Employment Act 2008 repeals the statutory dispute resolution procedures in their entirety and introduces a regime based on a new Acas Code for disciplinary and grievance procedures.

United KingdomEmployment and HR
Anthony Fincham
Anthony Fincham
Sarah Ozanne
Sarah Ozanne

April sees the first tranche of new laws for 2009. The key changes are:

1. The repeal of the statutory dispute resolution procedures

The Employment Act 2008 repeals the statutory dispute resolution procedures in their entirety and introduces a regime based on a new Acas Code for disciplinary and grievance procedures.

Importantly, under the new regime dismissals will no longer be automatically unfair for a failure to comply with the Acas Code, but Employment Tribunals will still be able increase or reduce compensatory awards. Such adjustments will be by up to 25% (rather than the previous 10-50%) where either the employer or employee has unreasonably failed to comply with the Code and the adjustment is just and equitable in all the circumstances.

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