Employee rights to be informed and consulted

Employees have the right to be consulted, via representatives, about certain matters relating to their employment and the operation of the employer’s business.

An individual employee may also need to be consulted with by their employer in various situations, such as in the context of a dismissal for redundancy and where the employer is proposing changes to the employee’s terms and conditions of employment. These situations are considered separately. See Practice Notes: Redundancy—fair procedure: individual consultation and Changing terms and conditions of employment.

Good practice in industrial relations and human resources management also typically involves some mechanism for an employer to routinely provide information to, and consult with, its employees on important matters.

Corporate governance requirements

Companies employing an average of more than 250 employees are required by the Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, SI 2008/410, Sch 7, Pt 4, para 11 to include in the directors' report a statement describing the action that has been taken during the financial year to introduce, maintain or develop arrangements aimed at:

•
providing employees systematically with information on matters

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