Swindon & Wiltshire News
Businesses in dark about changes to employment law
The majority of south west firms are unaware of recent changes to employment law, according to a survey by Swindon-based Monahans HR Solutions.
Changes to legislation about which there was little knowledge included unpaid parental leave increasing from 13 to 18 weeks, changes to the employment tribunal systems and DSB checks now being portable between employers.
But the survey found a higher degree of knowledge around the introduction of employee shareholder contracts and the new right to request flexible working being extended to all employees.
The Government is keen for businesses to have the opportunity to comment on employment legislation as part of its campaign to reduce red tape. However, over 90 percent of respondents were unaware of how to input into the debate surrounding changes in employment legislation either through the Red Tape Challenge or through any other forum.
Peta Fry, HR director, said: “The majority of businesses want to see a simplification of employment procedures and a reduction in red tape.
“It is surprising though that the huge majority do not know how to comment on changes to legislation. However, it is encouraging that most have not seen any real impact of recent changes on their business and expect this to continue in the next year.
“There are though some real issues in running a business in relation to employment, in particular the difficulty in recruiting, motivating and retaining quality employees, along with the increasing costs of being an employer.
“There are some real challenges for business owners around the entire subject of employment and major challenges for the Government to ensure businesses are aware of legislation changes and of how to comment on them.
“I am looking forward to seeing if things improve in the future but in the meantime Monahans HR Solutions team is able to help businesses to navigate this potential minefield.”
