Are you aware of the Employment Law Changes as of Monday 6 April 2020?
Whilst many employers are focusing on the current coronavirus pandemic, don’t be the one to overlook the key changes to employment law which came into force on Monday 6 April 2020.
Employment Law Changes – The Good Work Plan
Several legislative changes to implement the government’s Good Work Plan came into effect on 6 April 2020. These include:
Employment Law Changes – Written statement of terms
The Employment Rights (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/731) amend the Employment Rights Act 1996 to give workers, rather than just employees, the right to a written statement of particulars and to bring a tribunal claim against their employer.
- Holiday pay reference period
The Employment Rights (Employment Particulars and Paid Annual Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/1378) amend regulation 16 of the Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833), increasing the reference period for determining an average week’s pay (for the purposes of calculating holiday pay) from 12 weeks to 52 weeks, or the number of complete weeks for which the worker has been employed (if less).
- Repeal of the Swedish derogation
The Agency Workers (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/724) remove the Swedish derogation provisions set out in regulations 10 and 11 of the Agency Worker Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/93), so that all agency workers have a right to pay parity with comparable permanent staff after 12 weeks.
- Key information for agency workers
The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/725) require all employment businesses to provide agency work-seekers with a key facts statement, before agreeing the terms by which the work-seeker will undertake work.
Employment Law Changes – Parental bereavement leave and pay
A new statutory right for employees to take one or two weeks off work following the death of a child under 18 or a stillbirth will apply from 6 April 2020 (parental bereavement leave). A new statutory payment, statutory parental bereavement pay, may be payable during parental bereavement leave, depending on the individual’s length of service and earnings.
Employment Law Changes – National Minimum Wage
The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/339), which contain provisions relating to salaried hours work and reductions, came into force on 6 April 2020.
