University of Hertfordshire

This paper discusses the likely contents of the proposed Employment Bill, placing them in the context of what the government identifies to be a growing unease of employers at the cost, volume and complexity of cases brought to employment tribunals. The paper considers a number of common criticisms made of tribunals, suggesting that those which have most influenced government policy are misplaced. It--suggests that the proposed Bill is unlikely to succeed in simplifying employment law. It concludes that--employees have a great deal to lose, not so much from the envisaged reforms, but from a dynamic in--which government is encouraging business to demand further and repeated changes to the system. The paper was delivered to a Centre for Research in Employment Studies seminar in the Business School at the University of Hertfordshire in December 2007.