The government has published a document setting out the “significant improvements” it claims its employment rights reforms have delivered in the last two years.

“Employment law 2013: progress on reform” is a lengthy overview and justification of the employment law review and also sets out a new timetable for many of the changes to come. Most significantly, implementation of the new employment tribunal rules, which result from the Underhill review, are delayed until the summer to co-ordinate with the introduction of tribunal fees.

The revised timetable is now:

Spring 2013

Changes to collective redundancy rules introduced
Acas guide on collective redundancy introduced

Summer 2013

Introduction of settlement agreements
Introduction of 12 months’ pay cap on unfair dismissal compensatory awards
Changes to employment tribunal rules
Changes to the rules on whistleblowing
Introduction of tribunal fees

Autumn 2013

Introduction of new employee shareholder employment status
Introduction of reforms to the TUPE regulations
Call for evidence on Public Interest Disclosure Act

Spring 2014

Right to request flexible working for all employees comes into force
Introduction of Acas early conciliation
Introduction of employment tribunal penalties 

Victoria Phillips, head of employment rights at Thompsons, said: “The coalition has published another self-congratulatory report on the red-tape challenge. One passage in Jo Swinson’s foreword stands out:

“Our reforms support better relationships between workers and employers. They are aimed at making evolutionary improvements to the labour market so it retains a flexibility and dynamism that benefits individuals, employers and the economy.”

“There is no trace of irony in this statement. How a wholesale dismantling of employment rights, equality laws, health and safety regulations and the ability of an injured worker to sue their boss for compensation are evolutionary improvements to the labour market only Jo Swinson may be able to explain.”

To read the document in full visit the Government website.