Leading firms ill-prepared for impact of rights Act

HUMAN RIGHTS: employment, e-mail procedures most at risk

The City is not ready for the Human Rights Act, according to a survey of executives and in-house lawyers at companies in the FTSE 350 published last week.

The survey, carried out by City firm CMS Cameron McKenna, found that 24% of companies have little or no knowledge of the Act, which comes into force next Monday.

Nonetheless, 69% of the 171 respondents believed that the Act will lead to an upsurge in litigation.

Employment procedures, Internet and e-mail policy, and manager awareness of the Act were identified as the main areas where businesses are at risk of exposure to claims.

While 93% of respondents understood the Act would have an impact on employee relations, only 19% had reviewed employment procedures.

Similarly, 69% recognised that it will impact on the monitoring of employees' Internet and e-mail usage, but only 18% had amended their existing policies.

Half of respondents were 'not confident' that their managers will adapt their decision-making in light of the Act.

Camerons dispute resolution partner Tony Marks said: 'We were surprised that organisations such as quasi-public authorities have taken very limited action.

Even private companies are not fully prepared in areas where they will be affected, such as employment policy.'

Reaction to the Act as a whole was mixed: 16% of respondents said it was a 'necessary convenience', whilst 64% thought it was 'too early to say'.

Jeremy Fleming