Compliance with the law — How prepared are you?

Abstract

As most employers in the care home industry are aware, the Commission for Social Care Inspection has made the issuing of employee handbooks and contracts of employment mandatory. Such action can be viewed as an attempt to rectify the negative reputation the industry has for its previous failures in complying with even the most basic of regulations under the Employment Rights Act 1996. Although this is certainly a positive step forward for the industry, there is still a great deal of work that employers need to do. Compliance with the law is more than having the correct documentation and procedures in place; it is about following the procedures accurately and keeping up to date with the latest regulations. Regardless of its size, a business must be prepared for legislative change as ignorance is not a defence in the eyes of the law. There are two impending additions to the already large repertoire of regulations to which employers are subject in the form of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations and the Work and Families Act 2006; both of which are due to take effect from 1st October, 2006. It is important to remember that knowing the law and complying with the law are two different things and whether or not employers are prepared they will be subject to these regulations. Therefore it is the aim of this paper to inform readers of how these regulations are going to impact a business and what steps responsible employers need to take to ensure they are up to date and compliant.