Employment Law Update (January 2009)
Crucial changes in 2009
2009 is set to be a big year for changes in employment
law. The "big three" changes planned this year are:
- Increase of statutory minimum holiday entitlement to 5.6 weeks
(28 days) from 1st April;
- Changes to the disciplinary and grievance procedures all
employers must follow from 6th April;
- New rules on the vetting of people working with children and
vulnerable adults, from 12th October (England and Wales
only).
In addition, the right to request flexible working arrangements
is likely to be extended to include parents of school-aged children
(aged 6 – 16) from April, although this change has not yet been
confirmed by the government.
Other changes include the usual annual increases to maternity
pay rates and national minimum wage rates.
Below is your at-a-glance timetable to expected employment law
changes during 2009.
|
Date
|
Change
|
How Mentor will
help
|
|
2009
|
|
1st April
|
Statutory minimum holiday entitlement increases to 5.6 weeks (28
days)
|
Your Employment Law Consultant will discuss with you how the
changes affect your business
|
|
1st April
|
Employers are no longer permitted to make payments in lieu of
minimum holiday entitlement
|
|
April
|
Extension of the right to request flexible working arrangements
to include parents of children aged 6-16 (to be confirmed)
|
Further details will be in future e-bulletins and the Legal
Update
|
|
5th April
|
Statutory Maternity, Paternity and Adoption pay increases
|
New rate is £123-06 per week
|
|
6th April
|
Changes to statutory dismissal and grievance procedures
|
You should always call the Telephone Advice Service when dealing
with disciplinary and grievance issues
Your Employment Law Consultant will discuss with you how the
changes affect your business
|
|
1st October
|
National Minimum Wage increases
|
Details will be contained in future e-bulletins, when the new
rates have been announced
|
|
12th October
|
(England and Wales only)
New rules on checking records of staff who work with children
and vulnerable adults begin
|
Further information will be given in future e-bulletins and the
Legal Update as soon as more details become available
|