Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures: Delayed Implementation Date

It has come to light that the elements of the Employment Act 2002 relating to dispute resolution (sections 29-41) are not now expected to come into force until the spring of 2004.

Publishing its expected implementation dates for the various parts of employment legislation in October 2002, the DTI had suggested that the new provisions relating to disciplinary and grievance procedures would be introduced in the autumn of 2003, following consultation with ACAS.

The intention of the changes is to reduce the burden on Employment Tribunals, the number of which has grown considerably in recent years. One of the principal effects is to introduce a requirement on employers to include minimum standards for a disciplinary and grievance procedure into employment contracts.

The Workplacelaw Network will shortly be publishing a standard policy for disciplinary and grievance procedures. If you would like more information, please contact Sam Colella on 0870 777 8881.
This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.