OpenLegislation

Employment Act 2002 in England

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. 11(a)repealedChild Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 Sch. 8
Sch. 6 para. 13(a)repealedChild Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 Sch. 8
Sch. 7 para. 55repealedWelfare Reform Act 2009 Sch. 7 Pt. 3
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. 10repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
s. 49repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 6 para. 2repealedWelfare 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. 15repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 7 para. 51repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
Sch. 7 para. 12(a)repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
s. 38(3)(b)words insertedEmployment Rights Act 2025 s. 58(7)(b)
s. 38(2)(b)words insertedEmployment Rights Act 2025 s. 58(7)(a)

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. 47Flexible working
  61. 48Rate of maternity allowance
  62. 49Work-focused interviews for partners
  63. 50Use of information for, or relating to, employment and training
  64. General
  65. 51Orders and regulations
  66. 52Financial provisions
  67. 53Minor and consequential amendments
  68. 54Repeals and revocations
  69. 55Short title etc.
  70. Schedule 1: Penalties: procedure and appeals
  71. 1Determination of penalties by officer of Board
  72. 2Provisions supplementary to paragraph 1
  73. 3Appeals against penalty determinations
  74. 4Penalty proceedings before First-tier Tribunal
  75. 5Penalty proceedings before court
  76. 6Mitigation of penalties
  77. 7Time limits for penalties
  78. 8Interest on penalties
  79. 9Interpretation
  80. Schedule 2: Statutory dispute resolution procedures
  81. Part ...
  82. Part ...: ...
  83. Chapter ...: ...
  84. Schedule 3: Tribunal jurisdictions to which section 31 applies Repealed
  85. Paragraph Repealed
  86. Schedule 4: Tribunal jurisdictions to which section 32 applies Repealed
  87. Paragraph Repealed
  88. Schedule 5: Tribunal jurisdictions to which section 38 applies
  89. Paragraph
  90. Schedule 6: Use of information for, or relating to, employment and training
  91. 1Supply and use of employment or training information by Secretary of State etc.
  92. 2Paragraph 2
  93. 3Paragraph 3
  94. 4Paragraph 4
  95. 5Supply of tax information for employment or training purposes Repealed
  96. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  97. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  98. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  99. 9Supply of Inland Revenue tax credits information for employment or training purposes Repealed
  100. 10Supply to Inland Revenue of employment or training information for purposes of tax credits Repealed
  101. 11Supply of other Inland Revenue information for employment or training purposes
  102. 12Paragraph 12
  103. 13Supply to Inland Revenue of employment or training information for other purposes
  104. 14Paragraph 14
  105. Schedule 7: Minor and consequential amendments
  106. 1Finance Act 1989 (c. 26)
  107. 2Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4)
  108. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  109. 4Paragraph 4
  110. 5Paragraph 5
  111. 6Paragraph 6
  112. 7Paragraph 7
  113. 8Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5)
  114. 9Paragraph 9
  115. 10Paragraph 10
  116. 11Paragraph 11
  117. 12Paragraph 12
  118. 13Paragraph 13
  119. 14Paragraph 14
  120. 15Paragraph 15
  121. 16Paragraph 16
  122. 18Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (c. 52)
  123. 19Paragraph 19
  124. 20Paragraph 20
  125. 21Paragraph 21
  126. 22Paragraph 22
  127. 23Employment Tribunals Act 1996 (c. 17)
  128. 24Employment Rights Act 1996 (c. 18)
  129. 25Paragraph 25
  130. 26Paragraph 26
  131. 27Paragraph 27
  132. 28Paragraph 28
  133. 29Paragraph 29
  134. 30Paragraph 30
  135. 31Paragraph 31
  136. 32Paragraph 32
  137. 33Paragraph 33
  138. 34Paragraph 34
  139. 35Paragraph 35
  140. 36Paragraph 36
  141. 37Paragraph 37
  142. 38Paragraph 38
  143. 39Paragraph 39
  144. 40Paragraph 40
  145. 41Paragraph 41
  146. 42Paragraph 42
  147. 43Paragraph 43
  148. 44Paragraph 44
  149. 45Paragraph 45
  150. 46Paragraph 46
  151. 47Paragraph 47
  152. 48Paragraph 48
  153. 49Paragraph 49
  154. 50Finance Act 1997 (c.16) Repealed
  155. 51Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14)
  156. 52Tax Credits Act 1999 (c. 10) Repealed
  157. 53Finance Act 1999 (c. 16)
  158. 54Employment Relations Act 1999 (c. 26)
  159. 55Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30)
  160. Schedule 8Repeals and revocations