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HR Tip – Informing employees of new legislation

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications.


Q: Do we have a responsibility to make employees aware of new employment legislation?

A: No, you do not. However, it is usually in your own best interest to do so. New legislation is often presented by the newspapers in a distorted or even biased way, and some external organisations may have a vested interest in projecting an inaccurate version. Therefore you may wish to summarise the new legislation for your employees and explain to them accurately how it may affect them.

You might publish summaries of the new laws on notice boards or put it into wage packets. However, a better idea would be to explain it to employees in small groups so that they have an opportunity to ask questions. If you have employee representatives, make sure they are present so that your employees can see that you are not trying to give a distorted view of the situation. Use government guides to the legislation to help you prepare your presentations, and have these guides available for inspection by anyone who wishes to confirm the accuracy of what you are putting across.

If you do this whenever new legislation occurs, your employees will be more likely to turn to you rather than outside bodies if they have questions about their rights and obligations.

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One Response

  1. Yes and No
    You have to be selective on the basis of likely effect on your staff. This is not devious it is just about need to know. it is only us Employment law junkies who get excited about every aspect of new law. Most of my clients are not realy interested (unless it happens to them).
    We insert relevant new legislation (summarised and hopefully in non-legal jargon) into our client’s handbooks and will also amend their disciplinary/grievance procedures in light of the moving case law/ best practice. Be selective, most of this year’s new law will be irrelevant to most employees apart from the new rules to try to force employees to use grievance procedures before claiming constructive dismissal etc

    Peter Stanway

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