With April almost upon us, it’s time to talk about the latest changes to UK employment law.
This is the time of year when these legal changes come into effect, so now is the time to learn about them.We’re going to talk through all of the important changes and what they mean. A little clarity goes a long way when it comes to changes to employment law; you certainly don’t want to fall short and cause unnecessary problems for your company.
So, read on now to learn more.
Gender Pay Gap Reporting Deadline
4th April 2019 is the deadline for the second gender pay gap report. Although this is not a change to the law, it’s a part of the law that needs to be complied with. The deadline and the rule apply to any company that employs more than 250 people.Once the report has been completed, it must be published on the website of the employer in an open and accessible way, and that it must stay there for three years. The government also has a reporting website that you have to upload your data to. Companies might also choose to comment on the results of the resort.
Payslip Rule Changes
There are a couple of changes to the rules around payslips, and these are enforced from 6th April 2019. It covers payslips that begin after that date but not before. The first change relates to how a person’s pay varies depending on the number of hours worked. It must make clear how many hours were worked on a variable basis; this includes overtime.Previously, only employees were entitled to a payslip, but that’s now changing with a new rule that says all workers, rather than just employees, are entitled to a payslip. The same date applies to this rule change as the first one.
The National Minimum Wage
The National Minimum Wage is the lowest wage level that employers are allowed to pay their employees. This rate is set to change on 1st April 2019. For people over the age of 25, the new National Minimum Wage will be set at £8.21 per hour.The National Minimum Wage will change for people in other age categories as well. People between the age of 21 and 24 will see a rise up to £7.70 per hour and people aged 18-20 will see their minimum wage rise to £6.15 per hour. People under 18 who no longer have to attend school have a minimum wage rise to £4.20 per hour.
Parental and Sick Pay
The statutory pay for parents, including paternal, maternal, adoption and shared parental pay, will rise after 7th April 2019. It will rise to £148.60 per week after that date. That’s the amount you’re obliged to pay to staff who have time off as new parents.As well as statutory pay for parents rising, it’s also the case that statutory sick pay will rise as well. The weekly rate of statutory sick pay will now stand at £94.95, and this comes into effect from 6th April 2019.
Statutory Redundancy Pay Calculations
There’s going to be a change to how employers handle redundancies and redundancy pay. These changes come into force on 6th April 2019. The changes mean, in the most basic terms, that employers must pay employees they make redundant an amount based on their weekly wage, years of service to the company and their age.The weekly pay is subject to a maximum pay, and that will be set at £525. It’s the responsibility of employers to ensure they adjust their redundancy calculations and follow the new rules correctly.
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statements
At the moment, the government is doing more to take the issue of modern slavery and human trafficking statements seriously. There is no deadline for this but you are required to produce these statements, and the government will likely write to you and remind you if you don’t. This applies to any company a total turnover of £36 million per year or more.
Unfair Dismissal Compensation
The maximum amount of money a person can be awarded in compensation if they’re found to have been wrongly dismissed by their employer will rise from £83,682 to £86,444 on 6th April 2019.
