Whether you share the British Government's confidence or not, one thing is sure: the Act represents a major shift in the commercial environment, with far-reaching changes for employers and employees. The majority of the new rights under the family friendly section take effect from April 2003 with most of the other provisions later in the year.

The consequences of getting it wrong, for both employer and employee, will be considerable—financial and otherwise. This specially commissioned report examines each of the key developments where the Act changes existing provisions or introduces new rights. Each chapter deals with a discreet area.