Specific protection is now afforded to part time employees by virtue of s 19 of the Employment Relations Act 1999, which provides that the Secretary of State for Employment shall make regulations for ensuring that part time employees are treated no less favourably than persons in full time employment. This has led to the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000. These Regulations also implement the EC Part-Time Workers Directive (97/81).