Prime Minister confirms consultation on introduction of protected conversations

 

Prime Minister confirms consultation on introduction of protected conversations

In a speech to business leaders setting out measures intended to promote economic growth, the Prime Minister has confirmed that there will be a consultation on the introduction of ‘protected conversations’. The proposal is designed to allow employers to have frank discussions with staff on issues such as retirement plans and work performance, which would be inadmissible in employment tribunal proceedings. The effect of introducing protected conversations, in his view, would be that ‘a boss and an employee feel able to sit down together and have a frank conversation – at either’s request’.

He went on to approve other employment law reforms that the Government has already announced, including the increase in the qualifying period for the right to claim unfair dismissal from one year to two years from April 2012 and the proposal to introduce fees for bringing claims to employment tribunals. The speech has been seen by some as indicating that the more radical proposals set out in the Beecroft report – such as the introduction of ‘compensated no-fault dismissals’, for which the employer would need to give no reason – will not be introduced.

Other changes to employment laws apparently being considered by the Government (although not mentioned in the speech) include exempting businesses with less than 10 employees from some employment regulation and simplifying compromise agreements.