This month sees one of our special issues briefing you on the new legislation coming into force in October. With the reformed TUPE regulations delayed until next year, this autumn’s regulations on the face of it seem to offer little to worry about. But be complacent at your peril, warns Chris Mordue, in his overview of the new regulations (page 12).
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When you have digested the latest changes, make sure you are geared up for some developments just around the corner which could have a major impact. Under amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act due in December, mental impairments will become defined as disabilities even where they are not clinically well-recognised illnesses. As a result, managers could find themselves forced to make reasonable adjustments for staff with conditions such as stress, anxiety or depression. You should waste no time in preparing for this controversial change.
And time is running out for employers to get their policies and processes in order for the Age Discrimination Act which becomes law in 2006. We now have the draft regulations and it is essential that all employers get to grips with these – not just for the sake of compliance but to get ready for the demographic challenges facing organisations over the next few decades and beyond. Our barometer (opposite), which this month shows how practitioners and experts are responding to the draft legislation, suggests that the right to continue working after reaching 65 has implications for HR systems across the board, particularly appraisals. Brush up on the draft regulations now on page 14.
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