Government plans unveiled this week will give working fathers the chance to share parental leave and allow them greater access to their children after couples divorce, it has been revealed.

This week, the government confirmed that the controversial Fit for Work Service is unlikely to be rolled out nationally due to the state of the nation’s flagging economy.

Much-needed employment law reforms which came into effect this month look set to save UK businesses more than £10m a year, ministers have claimed.

It’s that time of the year again, a time when UK employers gear up for a swathe of employment law changes, and 2012 is no different.

As social media becomes a part of everyday life, the majority of HR managers working in the UK have rejected ideas that job applications could soon be filled through sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, instead of the current email and hard-copy method.

This October, some workers currently paid National Minimum Wage (NMW) will receive a welcome boost in hourly rate, after the government accepted the independent Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendations for this year’s NMW rates.

Pregnancy and maternity discrimination continues 'unabated', while employers imposing changes to working patterns which undermine parents’ ability to combine work and childcare are handing parents impossible choices in the workplace, research has found.

In a further effort to stimulate Britain’s flagging economy, Chancellor George Osborne is said to be considering a relaxation of employment protection legislation in next month's Budget.

UK health and safety legislation will be relaxed to reduce the burden on small business, home workers and those engaging in low risk activities, a review by Lord Young and Professor Ragnar Löfstedt has suggested.

As the New Year celebrations subside, employees and business owners up and down the country have been told to take heed of a raft of employment law changes ready for introduction in 2012.

Employers will need to prepare themselves for increased demands in 2012, but if you’re a hard working employee, it’s important to know what increased rights are coming your way over the next 12 months.