• Work and Families: Choice and Flexibility: The Government has now published draft regulations to deliver the commitments on extending the right to request flexible working to carers of adults and to bring in the maternity and adoption leave measures announced in the Government Response to the Consultation. The draft regulations (word version) are published alongside a short consultation document. The closing date for any comments is 18 April 2006.

• In April 2006, the Employment Tribunals Service (ETS) will join the Tribunals Service, a new government agency within the Department for Constitutional Affairs. In partnership with the DCA, ETS is looking to appoint a Chair and two independent members to a new Employment Tribunals. Further details may be found at www.publicappointments.gov.uk/

• On 6 September 2005 the Department published the booklet: Managing Change - Practical Ways to reduce long hours and reform working practices.  (1.7MB). This publication marks the successful completion of the Long Hours Working Partnership Project, a joint project between the TUC, CBI and DTI. The project was run on behalf of the DTI by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). This partnership project sought to identify practical ways of implementing change management programmes in the workplace and share this learning between businesses. The project was set up as an increasing number of organisation are looking for ways to maximise productivity whilst moving away from routinely relying on workers and managers working long hours.
  
  Hard copies of Managing Change: Practical ways to reduce long hours and reform working practices are available via the DTI's publication orderline on 0845 015 0010 (+44845 015 0010) or email them at : publications@dti.gsi.gov.uk.

• The DTI, working with HSE, CBI, TUC, Local Government Employers and the Forum of Private Business, helped to facilitate the production of new guidelines for employers and employees on work-related stress. A handy booklet summarising the legislation around stress at work and offering sources of further information and help can be found here.

• TUPE - Revised Regulations
  Guidance on the revised TUPE Regulations is published by the DTI in a document entitled “A Guide to the 2006 TUPE Regulations for employees, employers and representatives", (192kb).  This guidance applies when the 2006 TUPE Regulations come into force on 6 April 2006, subject to Parliamentary approval.  Until then, the guidance on the existing 1981 Regulations entitled  “Transfer of Undertakings: a guide to the regulations (PL699)” still applies.  In February 2006, the DTI published a response document summarising the outcome of the 2005 consultation on draft TUPE Regulations. The revised Regulations were laid before Parliament on 7 February, and the DTI has published an RIA on those new Regulations.

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Last updated  10 February 2006