Employment Relations Act 1999 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Summary and Background

   1. Trade union recognition and derecognition

   2. Trade unions and individual employment rights related to trade unions

   3. Family-related employment rights

   4. Right to be accompanied in disciplinary and grievance hearings

   5. Other rights of individuals

   6. Other, miscellaneous provisions

3. Commentary on Sections

   1. Trade unions

      1. Section 1 and Schedule 1: Collective bargaining: Recognition

         1. Part I: Recognition

         2. Part II: Voluntary Recognition

         3. Part III: Changes affecting bargaining unit

         4. Part IV: Derecognition: General

         5. Part V: Derecognition where recognition automatic

         6. Part VI: Derecognition where union not independent

         7. Part VII: Loss of independence

         8. Part VIII: Detriment

         9. Part IX: General

      2. Section 2 and Schedule 2: Detriment related to trade union membership

      3. Section 3 : Blacklists

      4. Section 4 and Schedule 3: Ballots and Notices

         1. Informing employers of the ballot result

         2. Notices to employers of industrial action ballots and the taking of industrial action

         3. Requirement to send sample voting papers to employers

         4. Inducing members to take industrial action

         5. Separate Workplace Ballots

         6. Overtime and call-out bans

         7. The statement on voting papers

         8. Conduct of Ballot : Merchant Seamen

         9. Disregard of certain minor and accidental failures

         10. Ballots for industrial action : period of effectiveness

         11. Suspension of industrial action

      5. Section 5: Training

      6. Section 6: Unfair dismissal connected with recognition: interim relief

   2. Leave for family reasons

      1. Section 7 and Part I of Schedule 4: Maternity and parental leave

         1. New section 71: Ordinary maternity leave

         2. New section 72: Compulsory maternity leave

         3. New section 73: Additional maternity leave

         4. New section 74: Redundancy and dismissal

         5. New section 75: Sections 71 to 73: supplemental

         6. Part VIII, Chapter II: Parental Leave

         7. New section 76: Entitlement to parental leave

         8. New section 77: Rights during and after parental leave

         9. New section 78: Special cases

         10. New section 79: Supplemental

         11. New section 80: Complaint to employment tribunal

      2. Section 8 and Part II of Schedule 4: Time off for dependants

         1. New section 57A: Right to time off for dependants

         2. New section 57B: Complaint to employment tribunal

      3. Section 9 and Part III of Schedule 4: Consequential amendments

      4. Sections 10-15 : Right to be accompanied in disciplinary and grievance hearings

      5. Section 16 and Schedule 5: Unfair dismissal of striking workers

      6. Section 17: Collective agreements: detriment and dismissal

      7. Section 18: Agreement to exclude dismissal rights

      8. Sections 19-21: Part-time work

      9. Section 22: National Minimum Wage: Communities

      10. Section 23: Power to confer rights on individuals

   3. CAC, ACAS, Commissioners and Certification Officer

      1. Sections 24 and 25: Central Arbitration Committee

      2. Section 24: CAC: members

      3. Section 25: CAC: proceedings

      4. Section 26: ACAS: General duty

      5. Section 27: ACAS: Reports

      6. Section 28: Abolition of Commissioners

      7. Section 29 and Schedule 6: The Certification Officer

   4. Miscellaneous

      1. Section 30: Partnerships at work

      2. Section 31 and Schedule 7: Employment agencies

      3. Section 32: Employment rights outside Great Britain

      4. Section 33: Unfair dismissal: special and additional awards

      5. Section 34: Indexation of amounts, &c.

      6. Section 35: Guarantee payments

      7. Section 36: Sections 33-35: consequential

      8. Section 37: Compensatory award etc: removal of limit in certain cases

      9. Section 38: Transfer of undertakings

      10. Section 39: National Minimum Wage: Information

      11. Section 40: Dismissal of school staff

      12. Section 41 and Schedule 8: National security

   5. General

4. Hansard References

5. Commencement