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No surprises or certainty in Queen's speech

Issue 33 - December 2009

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In a brief (736 words) Queen's speech, the government outlined few measures that will impact on employers even if there is sufficient time left for them to become law before the general election.

Those with relevance to the HR and payroll professions were:

• The Equality Bill which will make gender pay audits mandatory for local authorities employing more than 150 people and voluntary (at least until 2013) for private sector employers with 250 or more employees.
• The Agency Workers’ Regulations, that have to be implemented by December 2011 whatever happens at the election, as they implement the Agency Workers’ Directive.
• The Bribery Bill which will deal with bribes paid by employers and employees to win business.
• The Financial Services Bill that will allow the government to nullify employment contracts in respect of bonuses where there has been excessive risk-taking.