OpenLegislation

Employment Act 2002

2002 c. 22 · Enacted 8 July 2002 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 17 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 17 January 2025.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
Sch. 6 para. 14(a)repealedChild Maintenance Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 Sch. 5
Sch. 6 para. 12(a)repealedChild Maintenance Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 Sch. 5
Sch. 6 para. 13(a)repealedChild Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 Sch. 8
Sch. 6 para. 11(a)repealedChild Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 Sch. 8
Sch. 7 para. 9repealedWelfare Reform Act 2009 Sch. 7 Pt. 3
Sch. 7 para. 51repealedWelfare Reform Act 2009 Sch. 7 Pt. 3
Sch. 7 para. 55repealedWelfare Reform Act 2009 Sch. 7 Pt. 3
Sch. 7 para. 51repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 6 para. 2repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
s. 49repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 6 para. 3repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 7 para. 9repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 7 para. 10repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 7 para. 12(a)repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 7 para. 15repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
s. 38(2)(b)words insertedEmployment Rights Act 2025 s. 58(7)(a)
s. 38(3)(b)words insertedEmployment Rights Act 2025 s. 58(7)(b)

An Act to make provision for statutory rights to paternity and adoption leave and pay; to amend the law relating to statutory maternity leave and pay; to amend the Employment Tribunals Act 1996; to make provision for the use of statutory procedures in relation to employment disputes; to amend the law relating to particulars of employment; to make provision about compromise agreements; to make provision for questionnaires in relation to equal pay; to make provision in connection with trade union learning representatives; to amend section 110 of the Employment Rights Act 1996; to make provision about fixed-term work; to make provision about flexible working; to amend the law relating to maternity allowance; to make provision for work-focused interviews for partners of benefit claimants; to make provision about the use of information for, or relating to, employment and training; and for connected purposes.

[8th July 2002]

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part 1: Statutory leave and pay
  2. Chapter 1: Paternity and adoption
  3. Rights to leave and pay
  4. 1Paternity leave
  5. 2Statutory paternity pay
  6. 3Adoption leave
  7. 4Statutory adoption pay
  8. Administration and enforcement: pay
  9. 5General functions of the Board Repealed
  10. 6Financial arrangements
  11. 7Funding of employers’ liabilities
  12. 8Regulations about payment
  13. 9Decisions and appeals
  14. 10Powers to require information
  15. 11Penalties: failures to comply
  16. 12Penalties: fraud etc.
  17. 13Supply of information held by the Board
  18. 14Supply of information held by the Secretary of State
  19. 15Use of information by the Board
  20. 16Interpretation
  21. Chapter 2: Maternity
  22. 17Rights during and after maternity leave
  23. 18Maternity pay period Repealed
  24. 19Rate of statutory maternity pay
  25. 20Entitlement to statutory maternity pay
  26. 21Funding of employers’ liabilities: statutory maternity pay
  27. Part 2: Tribunal reform
  28. Costs and expenses
  29. 22Employment tribunals
  30. 23Employment Appeal Tribunal
  31. Miscellaneous
  32. 24Conciliation
  33. 25Power to delegate prescription of forms etc.
  34. 26Determination without a hearing
  35. 27Practice directions
  36. 28Pre-hearing reviews
  37. Part 3: Dispute resolution etc.
  38. Statutory procedures
  39. 29Statutory dispute resolution procedures Repealed
  40. 30Contracts of employment Repealed
  41. 31Non-completion of statutory procedure: adjustment of awards Repealed
  42. 32Complaints about grievances Repealed
  43. 33Consequential adjustment of time limits Repealed
  44. 34Procedural fairness in unfair dismissal
  45. Employment particulars
  46. 35Particulars of procedures relating to discipline or dismissal
  47. 36Removal of exemption for small employers
  48. 37Use of alternative documents to give particulars
  49. 38Failure to give statement of employment particulars etc.
  50. General
  51. 39Unfair dismissal: adjustments under sections 31 and 38
  52. 40Interpretation of Part 3
  53. Part 4: Miscellaneous and general
  54. ...
  55. 41Power to confer rights on individuals: amendment Repealed
  56. 42.... Repealed
  57. 43Union learning representatives
  58. 44Dismissal procedures agreements Not yet in force
  59. 45Fixed-term work
  60. 46Fixed-term work: Northern Ireland
  61. 47Flexible working
  62. 48Rate of maternity allowance
  63. 49Work-focused interviews for partners
  64. 50Use of information for, or relating to, employment and training
  65. General
  66. 51Orders and regulations
  67. 52Financial provisions
  68. 53Minor and consequential amendments
  69. 54Repeals and revocations
  70. 55Short title etc.
  71. Schedule 1: Penalties: procedure and appeals
  72. 1Determination of penalties by officer of Board
  73. 2Provisions supplementary to paragraph 1
  74. 3Appeals against penalty determinations
  75. 4Penalty proceedings before First-tier Tribunal
  76. 5Penalty proceedings before court
  77. 6Mitigation of penalties
  78. 7Time limits for penalties
  79. 8Interest on penalties
  80. 9Interpretation
  81. Schedule 2: Statutory dispute resolution procedures
  82. Part ...
  83. Part ...: ...
  84. Chapter ...: ...
  85. Schedule 3: Tribunal jurisdictions to which section 31 applies Repealed
  86. Paragraph Repealed
  87. Schedule 4: Tribunal jurisdictions to which section 32 applies Repealed
  88. Paragraph Repealed
  89. Schedule 5: Tribunal jurisdictions to which section 38 applies
  90. Paragraph
  91. Schedule 6: Use of information for, or relating to, employment and training
  92. 1Supply and use of employment or training information by Secretary of State etc.
  93. 2Paragraph 2
  94. 3Paragraph 3
  95. 4Paragraph 4
  96. 5Supply of tax information for employment or training purposes Repealed
  97. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  98. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  99. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  100. 9Supply of Inland Revenue tax credits information for employment or training purposes Repealed
  101. 10Supply to Inland Revenue of employment or training information for purposes of tax credits Repealed
  102. 11Supply of other Inland Revenue information for employment or training purposes
  103. 12Paragraph 12
  104. 13Supply to Inland Revenue of employment or training information for other purposes
  105. 14Paragraph 14
  106. Schedule 7: Minor and consequential amendments
  107. 1Finance Act 1989 (c. 26)
  108. 2Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4)
  109. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  110. 4Paragraph 4
  111. 5Paragraph 5
  112. 6Paragraph 6
  113. 7Paragraph 7
  114. 8Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5)
  115. 9Paragraph 9
  116. 10Paragraph 10
  117. 11Paragraph 11
  118. 12Paragraph 12
  119. 13Paragraph 13
  120. 14Paragraph 14
  121. 15Paragraph 15
  122. 16Paragraph 16
  123. 17Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8)
  124. 18Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (c. 52)
  125. 19Paragraph 19
  126. 20Paragraph 20
  127. 21Paragraph 21
  128. 22Paragraph 22
  129. 23Employment Tribunals Act 1996 (c. 17)
  130. 24Employment Rights Act 1996 (c. 18)
  131. 25Paragraph 25
  132. 26Paragraph 26
  133. 27Paragraph 27
  134. 28Paragraph 28
  135. 29Paragraph 29
  136. 30Paragraph 30
  137. 31Paragraph 31
  138. 32Paragraph 32
  139. 33Paragraph 33
  140. 34Paragraph 34
  141. 35Paragraph 35
  142. 36Paragraph 36
  143. 37Paragraph 37
  144. 38Paragraph 38
  145. 39Paragraph 39
  146. 40Paragraph 40
  147. 41Paragraph 41
  148. 42Paragraph 42
  149. 43Paragraph 43
  150. 44Paragraph 44
  151. 45Paragraph 45
  152. 46Paragraph 46
  153. 47Paragraph 47
  154. 48Paragraph 48
  155. 49Paragraph 49
  156. 50Finance Act 1997 (c.16) Repealed
  157. 51Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14)
  158. 52Tax Credits Act 1999 (c. 10) Repealed
  159. 53Finance Act 1999 (c. 16)
  160. 54Employment Relations Act 1999 (c. 26)
  161. 55Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30)
  162. Schedule 8Repeals and revocations