The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has warned the government against forcing the human resources function into a ‘corporate policeman’ role, following Gordon Brown’s draft legislative programme unveiled yesterday (11 July).
The government programme contains three Bills relevant to HR professionals: the Education and Skills Bill, the Employment Simplification Bill and the Pensions Bill.
The Education and Skills Bill is designed to give young people and lower-skilled employees access to training. But the CIPD said employers should not be responsible for mandating this policy.
Martyn Sloman, CIPD skills adviser, said: “The duty on employers to release young people to undertake training and check that they are participating before employing them is particularly noteworthy. However, while HR will be expected to encourage and check that such training is being carried out, it should not be the employer’s role to enforce this policy.”
Meanwhile Ben Willmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, praised the Employment Simplification Bill.
“We are delighted that the government is acting on the the Gibbons review recommendations made earlier this year, particularly in scrapping the statutory dispute resolution procedures,” he said.
“These have done little to improve the dispute resolution process, and actually made things worse,” he added.
According to CIPD research, about one-third (29%) of employers believe disputes are less likely to be resolved informally following the introduction of the statutory dispute resolution procedures in October 2004, which introduced minimum three-step disciplinary and grievance procedures.
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The Gibbons review consultation, gathering views from employers and worker groups on whether the dispute resolution legislation should be scrapped, closed last month.
Have your say on the draft Bills. Gordon Brown wants people to comment on the draft legislation.
