CIPD law conference helps employers face looming deadline

CIPD research shows that age discrimination persists in many organisations with 59% of respondents reporting that they have been disadvantaged by age discrimination at work. Line managers and HR professionals will get the opportunity to hear from legal experts and make final preparations before the new age regulations come into force in the 1 October, at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Developmentís (CIPD) Annual Employment Law Conference on 4 and 5 July 2006.

The Annual Employment Law Conference includes an update day on how employers need to prepare for the age discrimination laws. This will examine each stage of the employment cycle from recruitment and selection to retirement and redundancy.

Dianah Worman, CIPD Diversity Adviser, says, ìOrganisations only have five months to improve their current practices, eradicate age discrimination and comply with the new regulations. They must act now if they wish to avoid the courts and improve practices to benefit the organisation.

ìEmployers cannot expect an easy ride. All processes in the workplace will need to be reviewed from recruitment and selection, training and promotion to retirement and redundancy.î

The conference brings leading experts together to update employers on the latest developments in UK employment legislation and outline the practical implications of changes to the law. Other highlights of the conference include:

Trevor Phillips, Chair, Commission for Racial Equality and the Equalities Review.

Dominic Regan, solicitor and trainer and Ian Smith, barrister and Professor of Employment Law, the Norwich Law School, University of East Anglia. They will present on whatís new in employment law, legislation and case law including fixed term regulations and successive contracts, TUPE changes and the Work and Families Bill.

To coincide with the conference, the CIPD will be releasing findings from a major new survey examining the state of diversity within UK organisations. This will provide important benchmarking information to help employers and those dealing with diversity to judge what progress they have made.