In an article written exclusively for First Voice, PATRICIA HEWITT MP, Trade and Industry Secretary, says the Employment Bill will help more businesses buy in to the model of modern productive workplaces

Workplace environments and the job market have seen real change in recent times. With more women in work than ever before, families are finding it increasingly difficult to balance work and home responsibilities.

At the same time, in the face of skills shortages, employers often find it a challenge to recruit and retain the people they need.
The Employment Bill sets out the next steps for achieving modern productive workplaces - high value, highly-skilled environments where not only is hard work rewarded and home responsibilities appreciated, but where business benefits too.
We've listened to the concerns of business. When we consulted on maternity leave and pay, employers told us they were bewildered by the current system. The new arrangements will simplify the system.

For the first time, small businesses will be able to claim in advance for maternity payments they have to make, easing any cashflow problems they may have experienced in the past.

And in future, 60 per cent of employers will be able to claim back 105 per cent of the money they pay to employees who are on maternity leave - a recognition of these extra administrative costs.

Furthermore, notification periods will be longer, enabling employers to plan in advance with certainty whether they'll need cover or not.
We also listened to concerns on paternity leave. During our consultation, organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, the CBI and the Institute of Management made clear that they would be content with a new right - as long as business didn't have to foot the bill. We're ensuring that the two weeks paternity leave is state-paid, enabling small firms to operate on an equal footing to large companies by offering employees similar packages.

'What we
have ensured is
that parents and employers between them come up with a working pattern that will suit them both'

The Bill also brings forward proposals for parents with young children to request flexible hours from their employer. What we have ensured is that parents and employers between them come up with a working pattern that will suit them both. But there is a safeguard in that employers will be able to turn down the request if there are sound business reasons why they can't accommodate it.

We also listened to employers' worries on the rising number of tribunals. Over the last decade, tribunal applications have increased threefold to more than 130,000 during the last year.
Under the new proposals, employees will be required to raise grievances with their employer via 'in-house' dispute resolution procedures before applying to a tribunal.

Embracing these procedures will benefit small firms, as it is they who often lose unfair dismissal cases because they have no procedures in place - again, a view endorsed by small business organisations.
I believe that we don't have to make a choice between helping business and helping working parents. We can do both - and ultimately everyone will benefit. It's a winning ticket that will allow more businesses to buy in to the model of a modern productive workplace.

For the full article, see pages 12 - 13 of the April / May 2002 issue of First Voice