The UK’s exit from the EU could prompt extensive changes in employment laws. However, employers are only expressing demand for significant change in a few areas, such as sick leave and discrimination law.
A survey conducted by GQ Employment Law suggests that only five per cent of businesses are looking for ‘dramatic’ change post-Brexit, whereas 65 per cent of companies would like to see “some” change.
Just 30 per cent of businesses opposed all forms of change.
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Paul Quain, partner at GQ Employment Law, said: “Our survey backs the widely-reported view that business wants stability post-Brexit. While employers see Brexit as an opportunity for a review of EU employment law in some areas, in the main they are not looking for major change.”
More than 70 per cent of the survey’s respondents expressed a desire for the removal of rules allowing long-term sick employees to roll over their annual leave. GQ Employment Law added that these rules can often be a burden as administrative costs usually outweigh those associated with granting employees their sick pay.
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GQ Employment Law’s report further highlights that over one quarter of employers feel that employment law surrounding uncapped discrimination and equal pay claims could be reviewed. Some employers claim that employees use the threat of uncapped damages, through a discrimination claim, as a way of urging their employer to settle a case.
“While in the grand scheme of things employment law is unlikely to be a key area of focus, it will be interesting to see what changes are, in fact, introduced – and how these are received by the UK’s business community” Quain added.