Employment Agenda

Increases to the national minimum wage rates have been announced.  The new hourly rates will take effect from 1 October 2007 as follows:

Adult rate £5.52
18-21 year old £4.60
16-17 year old £3.40

The full provisions of the Act will apply from 24 October 2007 i.e. manual filing systems in existence before 24 October 1998 will be required to comply with the Act.
See Information Commissioner's website for further information

The Equality Act 2006 provides for the establishment of a single equality body - the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) from October 2007.  The body will bring together the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Disability Rights Commission (DRC).  CEHR will take responsibility for promoting equality and tackling discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, gender reassignment, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation and age.  It will also promote human rights.
See the CEHR website for further details 

The Regulations require employers to inform and consult employees about developments in the workplace. The Regulations have applied to employers with 150 or more employees since 6 April 2005. From 6 April 2007 they will be exended to apply to employers with 100 or more employees, and from 6 April 2008 they will apply to employers with 50 or more employees.
See DTI website for further details

A new Equal Treatment Directive which recasts seven existing gender equality directives came into force on 15 August 2006.  Member states must implement it by 15 August 2008.