With a raft of employment law changes taking effect in April 2024, we wanted to ensure you that we are aware and compliant.
Comply with national minimum wage rises
The rates of the national minimum wage increase on 1 April 2024, including an increase of the main national minimum wage (the national living wage) from £10.42 to £11.44.
We can assure you that we have checked our pay rate to ensure the increase and our employees have been informed and the client billing has been amended.
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Update annual leave calculations for irregular hours workers
Changes to holiday entitlement and pay for irregular hours and part-year workers come into effect for holiday years beginning on or after 1 April 2024.
The key change is that holiday entitlement for irregular hours workers and part-year workers is calculated using an accrual method. Under this new calculation method, entitlement accrues at 12.07% of hours worked in a pay period. We already did this at Glen but completed a review to ensure full compliance.
Statutory redundancy pay
New limits on employment statutory redundancy pay come into force on 6 April 2024.
Employers that make employees redundant must pay those with two years' service an amount based on the employee's weekly pay, length of service and age.
The weekly pay is subject to a maximum amount, which is £700 from 6 April 2024 (increasing from £643).
We have amended our redundancy policy to match the changing legislation
Introduce procedure for taking carer's leave
From 6 April 2024, employees who have caring responsibilities for dependents with a long-term care need are entitled to one week's unpaid leave in every rolling 12-month period.
We have confirmed this to our employees in news@Glen but plan to introduce a process for employees who meet the legislative definition of a carer to be able to take this new type of leave, if required and amend our policy to include this.
We will also brief our line managers in the coming weeks on carer's leave, to ensure a consistent approach across Glen and reduce the risk of managers making errors when handling requests for carer's leave.
Implement changes to flexible working requests procedure
Significant reforms to the right to request flexible working take effect for requests made on or after 6 April 2024. The key changes are:
making the statutory right to request flexible working a "day one" right.
giving employees the right to make two requests, rather than one, in a 12-month period.
removing the requirement for an employee to explain what effect, if any, their request would have on the employer and how that might be dealt with.
requiring employers to deal with to a request within two months, rather than three months; and
placing an obligation on an employer to consult with an employee before rejecting a request.
During April, we will review our flexible working policies to ensure that they reflect the new requirements. It is vital to train managers on how to handle flexible working requests in light of the changes.
Implement changes to process for taking paternity leave
employees are entitled to split their leave into two separate blocks of one week, instead of having to take it all in one period; and
paternity leave can be taken within 52 weeks of the child's birth - previously, the leave had to be taken within the first eight weeks.
Under the new procedure, employers must ensure that an employee who wishes to take paternity leave provides their employer, at least 15 weeks before the expected week of childbirth, with a notice of entitlement and a written declaration that they meet the eligibility requirements to take paternity leave.
We will update our policy
Extend redundancy protection to pregnant employees/maternity leave returners
Employees on maternity leave, as well as those on adoption leave and shared parental leave, already have the right to be offered any suitable alternative vacancy in a redundancy situation.
From 6 April 2024, this additional redundancy protection is extended to employees who are pregnant but have not yet gone on maternity leave. Also, the protection is extended to those who have recently returned to work from maternity leave, as well as those who have recently returned from adoption leave and a period of six weeks or more shared parental leave.
Increase statutory sick pay and family-related pay
The weekly rate of statutory sick pay increases on 6 April 2024. The new rate is £116.75,
The weekly rates of statutory maternity, adoption, paternity, shared parental and parental bereavement pay increase to £184.03.
It is up to HR to make sure that staff on maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and
What else is happening?
• On 6 April 2024, the employment tribunal award limits increase. These include the basic award for unfair dismissal going up from £7,836 to £8,533 and the compensatory award for unfair dismissal going up from £105,707 to £115,115.