Are You Ready For The April Employment Law Changes? – Employee Rights/ Labour Relations


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A raft of employment law changes will come into force in
April 2024, including simple increases to statutory rates of pay,
tweaks to existing employment rights and the introduction of brand
new employment rights and practices. Our at-a-glance guide tells
you what you need to know.






















DATE AREA CHANGE
1 April 2024 National minimum wage The national minimum wage hourly rates will increase as
follows:

  • National Living Wage (age 21): £11.44 (up from
    10.42).

  • Age 18 – 20: £8.60 (up from £7.49).

  • Age 16 – 17 and Apprentices: £6.40 (up from
    £5.28).

Holiday years commencing on or after 1 April 2024 Holiday accrual and pay

You can read more about these changes here.

The position on accrual of annual leave and holiday pay will
change for”irregular hours workers” and “part-year
workers” only. These workers will accrue their annual leave
entitlement at the end of each “pay period” at a rate of
12.07% of the number of hours worked in that pay period, up to a
maximum of 28 days per year. Employers will also have the option of
introducing a system of”rolled-up holiday pay” for
irregular hours and part-year workers, but not for other types of
workers.
Notification of pregnancies or return dates on or after 6 April
2024
Redundancies

You can read more about these changes here.

Pregnant employees who are at risk of redundancy will have
priority for any suitable alternative vacancy that is available.
Employees returning to work from a period of maternity, adoption or
shared parental leave who are at risk of redundancy will have
priority for any suitable alternative vacancy that is available.
The additional protected period ends 18 months after the date of
the child’s birth or the day the child is placed with the
employee for adoption. Only employees who have taken a period of
shared parental leave of at least six consecutive weeks or more
will qualify for protection.
Expected week of childbirth or adoption placement on or after 6
April 2024
Paternity leave

You can read more about these changes here.

Eligible employees will have the option of taking their
statutory paternity leave as either a single block of either one
whole week or two consecutive whole weeks (as is currently the
case), or as two separate blocks of one whole week. It remains the
case that the leave must be taken as whole weeks and may not be
split up into days. The period within which statutory paternity
leave must be taken will increase from 56 days to 52 weeks from the
birth or adoption placement. The notification requirements have
also been relaxed, so that employees will only need give four
weeks’ notice of a proposed period of leave.
6 April 2024 Flexible working

You can read more about these changes here.

The requirement for an employee to have 26 weeks’ continuous
service in order to make a flexible working request will be
removed, making the right a Day 1 employment right. Later this year
(on a date to be confirmed), the following changes will be made to
the flexible working request process:


  • Employees will no longer have to explain what effect they think
    the requested change would have on their employer and how that
    effect might be dealt with.

  • Employees will be permitted to make two flexible working
    requests per year rather than one.

  • Employers will be required to consult with employees before
    refusing requests.

  • Employers will have two months to make a decision on a flexible
    working request (rather than three months as is currently the case)
    unless an extension is agreed.

6 April 2024 Carer’s leave

You can read more about these changes here.

Employees will have a new Day 1 right to take at least one
week’s unpaid carer’s leave in any 12-month rolling period
to provide or arrange care for a dependant who has a long-term care
need. Employees may take carer’s leave in discontinuous blocks
of at least half a working day. The leave can be taken at different
times and need not be taken on consecutive days. Alternatively, the
leave may be taken as a continuous block of one week’s leave.
In order to qualify for carer’s leave, employees must also
comply with certain notice requirements.
6 April 2024 Compensation limits

The maximum limits on compensation for certain purposes will
increase as follows:


  • Maximum week’s pay: £700 (up from £643).

  • Maximum basic award for unfair dismissal: £21,000 (up
    from £19,290).

  • Maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal: £115,115
    (up from £105,707).

  • Maximum statutory redundancy payment: £21,000 (up from
    £19,290).

6 April 2024 Statutory Sick Pay The rate of statutory sick pay will increase to £116.75
per week (up from £109.40 per week).
7 April 2024 Statutory pay for family-related leave The rate of statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared
parental and parental bereavement pay will increase to
£184.03 per week (up from £172.48 per week).



The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide
to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about
your specific circumstances.

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