Vincent Keter

This note covers licensing and hours of work for both pilots and other cabin crew following changes to the rules at European level. It does not cover industrial disputes.

The Bill proposes reducing regulatory burdens on trade unions in relation to the balloting and notice requirements for lawful industrial action. It extends the provision for small accidental errors contained in section 232B of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. The burden of proof in applications by an employer to restrain strike action by injunction will be changed. The employer will have to show that the union has failed to achieve “substantial compliance” with the ballot and notice requirements.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 provided for a new Vetting and Barring Scheme under which individuals who wish to engage in certain types of employment or activity involving contact with children or vulnerable adults will have to apply to be subject to monitoring by a government body: the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

Changes proposed in the Equality Bill regarding the circumstamces under which religious organisations are allowed to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation in employment.

This note gives an overview of the rules and entitlements relating to paternity pay and parental leave as well as information about some proposals to extend the scheme.

This note gives a brief account of statutory maternity pay and leave entitlements. It also sets out some proposed changes to this from the UK Government and European Commission

Members are often approached by constituents who have been dismissed from their jobs because they have been off sick for a long time. The legality of such dismissals would be judged on the individual merits of each case, but this note provides an indication of the factors which might be taken in to account.

Legislation to outlaw discrimination has existed for over 40 years. Typically, new Acts have had as their focus one area of policy, for example, pay, equal treatment of women, race discrimination etc. Almost inevitably, the body of current law, introduced piece meal over such a long period, has developed inconsistencies of both content and approach. As well as introducing new requirements one of the main aims of this Bill is to harmonise existing law into a more coherent whole.

Working Time Directive: Excluded Sectors. By Vincent Keter. SN/BT/1377.

This note explains the rules relating to the applicability, or not, of the Working Time Regulations 1998 in the road transport sector.

This note gives an overview of the Statutory Sick Pay (SPP) scheme and sets out some of the issues that may arise when an employee is absent from work due to illness.