2012 promises to be a busy year for employment law and employers should ensure that they are ready to respond.

Pensions auto-enrolment

The new auto-enrolment regime comes into force from October 2012 and employers must make sure they are ready. Issues to consider include:

• Who is a worker for the purposes of eligibility? and
• Who will be the ‘employer’ responsible for compliance?
• What are the new safeguards of Protected Recruitment Conduct and Use of Inducements and how does an employer avoid falling foul of them?

Social media

What are the risks involved with the use of social media and how can an employer protect itself?

Agency Workers Regulations 2010

What has been the impact of the Regulations and what further changes are planned?

Reforms to the employment tribunal system

A streamlined procedural code is expected by April 2012 with the introduction of costs and deposit orders, changes to the way cases are heard and potential financial penalties for employers.

Changes to dismissal procedures

The government has indicated a proposed slimming down of existing dismissal procedures and potential changes to the Acas Code. From April 2012 the qualifying period for eligibility to bring an unfair dismissal claim will be extended from one to two years.

Abolition of the default retirement age

Following the abolition of the default retirement age of 65, are employers able to justify a retirement age for their workforce?

Bribery Act 2010 – where are we now?

What changes have employers seen as a result of the Bribery Act and how is case law and practice developing in this area?

Proposed changes to TUPE and collective redundancy consultation

The government plans to review both TUPE and collective redundancy consultation laws. It is essential employers keep pace with any changes.

This article first appeared in Law-Now, CMS Cameron McKenna's free online information service, and has been reproduced with their permission. For more information about Law-Now, click here.

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