2002

10 January 

• Changes to parental leave entitlement to extend the right to parents in respect of all children who were five as at 15 December 1999.

1 February

• The annual increase in tribunal awards have been announced. The compensatory award for unfair dismissal has increased from £51,700 to £52,600. The basic award for unfair dismissal has increased from £7,200 to £7,500 (i.e. employee's statutory weekly now subject to a maximum of £250 a week).

14 March

• First instalment of the Data Protection Code is published. The Code brings about compliance with the Data Protection Act. Part 1 of 4 of the Code deals with recruitment and selection, including managing data protection, verification, short listing, interviews and retention.

1 August

• Data Protection Code, Part 2 published by the Information Commissioner. Part 2 covers employment records including sickness and absence records, how to handle a subject access request and references.

1 September

• The Employment Act 2002 became law, although very few of the actual provisions came into force on this date. The Act contains amendments to existing Acts but it also introduces a number of new rights and obligations, including statutory leave and pay, tribunal reform, dispute resolution and flexible working provisions.

1 October

• National minimum wage increased from £4.10 to £4.20 for the standard rate and £3.50 to £3.60 for the youth rate.
  
• Fixed Term-Employee Regulations published. Enabled by the Employment Act 2002, the Regulations aim to prevent discrimination, to improve access to permanent jobs for fixed termers and to prevent abusive successive fixed term contracts.

24 November

• Employment Act 2002 comes into force, although many of the provisions do not take effect until 2003.