Discrimination legislation and its effect on partnerships, such as in the financial and legal sectors, has always been something of a confused area. And some might say this confusion is only going to grow when the new age rules come into force in October.
So with less than three months to go, we look at what impact they will have on partnership provisions (p14).
But it’s the retirement aspects of the age regulations that are causing employers most concern, with 60% believing that the new regulations will make the process of retirement more difficult, according to an Employers’ Forum on Age survey. With this in mind, we’ve provided you with some Q&As to help you get to grips with the new retirement provisions (p18).
Getting up to speed with new immigration laws is also now a priority. While the government has indicated that the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 will be phased in over the next two years, the first provisions came into force last month. With an influx of migrant workers into the UK, we look at some of the obstacles you will need to overcome (p16) and how tougher checks and tighter procedures will be essential to ensure you don’t get penalised for employing illegal workers (p20).
Our cover feature this month investigates the growth of employment law consultancies and how the advice they offer compares to information provided by the law firms.
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In the face of stiff competition from consultants, employment lawyers are fighting back, however. Some claim the quality of advice from consultants is questionable and are calling for the sector to be regulated.
The question of whether to use a law firm or a consultant raises a number of issues, including budgets. So do you get what you pay for? We weigh up the pros and cons of each (p12).
