The Employment Act 2002 (Dispute Resolution) Regulations 2004

A series of changes to the regulations governing dismissal, disciplinary action and grievances in the workplace came into force on 1 October 2004. The regulations mean that all employers, regardless of their size, must have in place minimum procedures for handling disputes. Under the minimum procedures, full details of the grievance must be set down in writing, and provided to the other party. The employer must invite the employee to attend a meeting to discuss the issue before action is taken (except in the case of employee suspension), and must inform the employee of their decision, and offer an appeal should the employee not be satisfied. Written information about disciplinary procedures and the new minimum standards must also be provided to staff.

What you need to do

You should make sure that you have in place a disciplinary procedure which covers the key procedural requirements. You must also produce a written document detailing your firm's disciplinary procedure, should you not already have done so, or if the new regulations have changed your policies in any way.

Useful information

Further information and guidance are available from the Department of Trade and Industry's Employment Relations Directorate (www.dti.gov.uk/er)