Almost two-thirds (65%) of employer respondents would like to see changes to discrimination and equal pay laws once the UK has left the European Union (EU), according to research by GQ Employment Law.
Its survey of 43 employers also found that 56% of respondents want to see requirements to pay employees an amount for overtime in holiday pay reversed.
The research also found:
- 5% of respondents want to see either dramatic or substantial change in employment laws as a result of the UK leaving the EU, 65% want to see some change, and 30% do not want there to be any changes.
- 71% of respondents would like rules allowing employees on long-term sick leave to roll over their annual leave to be removed.
- 28% of respondents that want to see changes to discrimination and equal pay laws would like to see a cap on discrimination and equal pay awards, and 15% would like the scope of these laws to be narrowed.
- 13% of respondents that want to see changes to discrimination and equal pay laws want a qualifying period for claims to be introduced.
Paul Quain (pictured), 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.
“The hope is likely to be that Brexit is seen as an opportunity to improve UK employment laws, making them as efficient, but also as fair, as possible to both employers and employees.
“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.
“Our survey suggests that employers accept that many of the employment laws in the UK provide a minimum level of rights for employees so the government would need to approach reforms with caution.”
