ACAS launches consultation on revised discipline and grievance code

ACAS has this month issued a consultation draft code of practice on discipline and grievance. The draft code anticipates the Employment Bill currently before Parliament and, unlike the current version, is a concise, principles based text. The Bill proposes changes to the law relating to workplace dispute resolution, including the repeal of the statutory dismissal and discipline procedures introduced in 2004, and the new code is intended to complement the new simplified regime. ACAS has now produced a 6 page flexible principles based code, which provides basic practical guidance to employers, employees and their representatives on handling disciplinary and grievance situations in the workplace. The new code will, like the Highway Code for driving, set out good practice standards for disciplining staff.