Task force calls for employment legislation reform

The
Better Regulation Task Force (a part of the Cabinet Office) has issued a report
calling for reforms to the way employment regulations are implemented.

The
taskforce is unhappy with the unreasonable demands of red tape on business,
particularly on small and medium size employers.

Its
recommendations include:

–
commencement dates for new legislation be grouped together, so they take effect
on the same date (perhaps once or twice a year), rather than at scattered
intervals during the year;

–
further research on the effect of employment legislation – in particular, its
indirect effects on unemployment rates and investment, and degrees of
awareness/penetration among workers;

–
‘stress tests’ for new legislation, to see which sectors of industry it might
have the most effect on;

–
a free, interactive CD-Rom on employment rights, to be given to all employers
(and updated regularly – either over the net, or by post once a year)

–
a free or subsidised ACAS mediation service for businesses with up to 50
employees;

–
free access to ACAS seminars for employers with less than five employees.