We have followed the Trade Union Bill's progress through Parliament and previously reported on the government's attempts to soften the impact of the Bill and address concerns raised in the House of Lords.
The Act has now received Royal Assent and requires:
'Important public services' include health services, education of those aged under 17, fire services, transport services, border security and decommissioning of nuclear installations and management of radioactive waste and spent fuel.
The Act will be brought into force by a subsequent statutory instrument, though it is not yet clear when.
We previously reported on the the draft Public Sector Exit Payment Regulations 2016 (the Regulations). Having now received Royal Assent, the Enterprise Act has inserted the Regulations into a new section within the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, and introduces a cap of £95,000 on exit payments made within the public sector.
As previously reported, the cap will include the employer's cost of funding early access to unreduced pensions, which is likely to have a significant impact on how any additional termination payments negotiated under settlement arrangements are determined.
The Enterprise Act will be brought into force in stages by secondary legislation, though the dates have not yet been confirmed.
We shall keep you updated on when each Act comes into force.