Employment law update
October 22, 2014
What’s new in Employment Law?
As expected, there have been some changes to legislation this October which will affect employers and their practices. Below is a brief summary of the changes that have been made as of 1st October:
National Minimum Wage
The adult rate has increased to £6.50; 18-20 year old rate has increased to £5.13; 16-17 year old rate increased to £3.79 and the rate for an apprentice increased to £2.73 per hour.
Employers that fail to face their obligations to pay the correct national minimum wage may face fines of up to £20,000 per employee.
If they haven’t done so already, employers should check that all employees are earning in excess of the national minimum wage otherwise the financial consequences could be dire.
Equal Pay Audits
If an employer is unsuccessful in defending an equal pay claim, an Employment Tribunal will now have power to order the employer to carry out and publish an equal pay audit.
Attendance at Ante-Natal appointments for fathers and partners
Qualifying agency workers and employees now have the right to take unpaid time off work to attend antenatal appointments.
There is no need for qualifying service for an employee as this is a ‘day one’ right but for an agency worker, they need to have been doing the same kind of job for the same organisation for at least 12 weeks. The entitlement is to unpaid leave to attend 2 appointments up to a maximum time of 6.5 hours for each.
Whistleblowing complaints
The list of ‘prescribed persons’ that can receive complaints for qualifying disclosures has been updated. The full list can be found here: prescribed list.
Reserve Forces
There is no longer a requirement for an employee who is a member of the Reserves to hold two years service before bringing a claim for unfair dismissal.
Free contract review
At Tayntons, we recommend contracts of employment and company handbooks are reviewed and updated regularly to ensure changes to employment law are reviewed and the business compliant. We offer a free review of your contracts and policies so please feel free to give us a call on 0800 158 4147 to discuss your employment needs.