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Media Releases
2007

13 December
2007

British employers eager to see the Statutory Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures abolished

Over 50% of employers are eager to see the current Statutory Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures (SDGPs) abolished according to a survey carried out by UK law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn.

The survey of a range of medium to large organisations found that there was support for getting rid of SDGPs.  It also concluded that 70% of employers would like to see SDGPs replaced with a different compulsory dispute mechanism, although there was dispute over what form the replacement would take – almost half of respondents favoured compulsory mediation.

Blair Adams, an employment law specialist at Shepherd and Wedderburn, commented: "While SDGPs themselves are fairly unpopular, the principle of having a mandatory mechanism for resolving workplace disputes before they reach an employment tribunal appears to have gained popularity since the SDGPs were introduced in 2004.

"According to our survey, mediation is a popular alternative amongst employers, but establishing a national system of mediation would be a bold and expensive step."

The survey also found that 92% thought that low value, straightforward tribunal claims should be fast tracked and either heard by a Chairman sitting alone or on paper without a hearing.

Adams concludes that: "These findings are particularly interesting given the publication of the Employment Bill on the 7th December 2007 that will get rid of the SDGPs entirely and instead introduce an obligation to comply with ACAS codes of practice. These changes to the dispute resolution system will lighten the regulatory burden on business.  The Bill, which is unlikely to come into force until 2009, also proposes a new fast-track procedure in the employment tribunal for more simple claims.  The results of our survey suggest that the majority of employers view these changes as positive moves and will be largely supportive of them."

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