Law in Practice

Keynote Address

Managing discipline and grievances and the future for dispute resolution

Peter Frost, Partner, Herbert Smith

Anna Henderson, Professional Support Lawyer, Herbert Smith

• An update on recent legislative developments: the Employment Bill reforms and what this means for the workplace

• Evaluating recent case law and top tips on common pitfalls

• Conducting workplace hearings and investigations effectively and how to exercise best practice

• Understanding alternative dispute resolution and the business case for ‘in-house’ mediation techniques

Coffee and networking

Discrimination law: key changes and case law developments

Sarah Keeble, Partner, Olswang

• Looking back on the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006: ‘Heyday’, Bloxham and how to demonstrate best practice

• What is the position on redundancy and the ‘first in last out’ rule?

• Understanding disability discrimination: the Disability Discrimination Act, ‘reasonable adjustment’ and the impact of Coleman v Attridge

• A round-up of the recent legislative developments in discrimination law: A Single Equality Bill and future implications for the workplace

Managing ill-health within the workplace

Jonathan Hearn, Legal Director, DLA Piper

• Understanding the law: what duties, legal and implied, do employers owe?

• Practical advice for HR on absence policies and implementing disciplinary procedures for absence related issues

• Discussing sick pay: the rights of ‘Workers’ and ‘Employees’ and the Stringer case

• Unfair dismissal and ill-health: the ‘band of reasonable responses’, procedural defects and common pitfalls

Managing long-term sickness absence and creating a well-being culture at East Sussex Council

Leatham Green, Assistant Director, Personnel and Training, East Sussex Council

• What were the main challenges for HR and how were strategies put in place?

• The absence process and exercising well-being practices and initiatives

• How can HR and Occupational Health work together to achieve results?

• Evaluating the business case: how has the Council benefited and what’s in the pipeline?

Lunch

A comprehensive update on the contract of employment

Catherine Wilson, Partner, Eversheds

• Employment status: evaluating the latest European developments on temporary workers and the implications of the Court of Appeal decison in James v London Borough of Greenwich

• An update on annual leave and how this affects the employment of temporary labour

• Using restrictive covenants and ensuring compliance with the law

• What is the current position on notice clauses and enforcing ‘garden leave?’

Flexible working at BT: responding to the demands of the workforce and keeping abreast of legislative developments

Christine Moore, Head of Diversity Enterprises and Consulting, BT

• The Work and Families Act 2006: assessing the impact on the workplace and potential developments for 2008

• Considering the position of carers and parents with older children

• How BT has implemented a work-life balance ethos within the workplace: homeworking, job sharing and changing organisational attitudes

• Managing flexible working requests: who qualifies and what are the appropriate responses?

Coffee and networking

TUPE and Redundancy: where are we now?

Simon Jeffreys, Partner, CMS Cameron McKenna

• TUPE and change of service provision: a case law update and best commercial practice

• Changing terms and conditions post-transfer: Jackson v Computershare and Regent Security v Power

• Understanding the law on TUPE and insolvency and considering the position on ‘offshoring’ after Holis Metal v GMB

• A current update on redundancy: information and consultation, alternative employment and protective awards and liquidation

• Relocation, mobile employees and contractual redundancy schemes

What’s in the pipeline? future employment law developments

Charles Wynn-Evans, Partner, Dechert

• An update on recent developments in equal pay law including ‘night work,’ ‘hypothetical comparators,’ and the ‘material factor’ defence

• The new Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act: the key changes and likely impact on the workplace

• Changes to immigration law and practical advice on employing overseas workers

• An update on working time and holiday pay issues

Chair's closing remarks and close of conference