From 1 October 2008 you are now allowed to display your certificate of Employers Liability Insurance electronically. Employers choosing this method need to ensure their employees know how and where to find the certificate and have reasonable access to it.

Factors to consider include the availability of the chosen format and ensuring employees understand how to use it. For example, this arrangement may be suitable where all employees have access to a computer as part of their job.

You need employers' liability insurance unless you are exempt from the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act. The following employers are exempt:*

• most public organisations including government departments and agencies,  local authorities, police authorities and nationalised industries;
• health service bodies, including National Health Service trusts, health authorities,  primary care trusts and Scottish health boards;
• some other organisations which are financed through public funds, such as passenger transport executives and magistrates' courts committees;
• family businesses, ie if all of your employees are closely related to you (as husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter,  brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister). However, this exemption does not  apply to family businesses which are incorporated as limited companies; or
• companies employing only their owner where that employee also owns 50% or  more of the issued share capital in the company.