Employment Changes - April 2024
Posted on 8th April 2024 at 09:40
Employment law changes come like buses. There hasn't been many changes in the last couple of years but 2024 has made up for that. Apart from the annual statutory pay rate change, there are changes in maternity protection, carer's leave, paternity leave, flexible working and holiday pay for irregular hour and part year workers.
Here's an overview of the changes so you can make the necessary updates to policies, handbooks and employment contracts.
Statutory rates have risen significantly again (nearly 10% for age 21 and over), increases from 1st April are:
Age 2024
Age 21 and over £11.44 per hour
Age 18 - 20 £8.60 per hour
Age 16 - 17 £6.40 per hour
Apprentice £6.40 per hour
Other Statutory payments have also increased:
Statutory sick pay to £116.75 a week.
Statutory family leave payments for maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and parental bereavement leave increases to £184.03 a week.
Statutory redundancy payments increase to £700 for each qualifying week.
Carer’s Leave
Employees with caring responsibilities now have the statutory right to take time off to care for a dependent who has a long-term care need.
Key Points
Employees can take a maximum of one week of carer’s leave per rolling 12 month period.
It is unpaid and available from the first day of employment..
It doesn’t have to be taken in one chunk.
Maternity and Pregnancy
Protection has been extended during pregnancy, maternity and post maternity regarding redundancy (as well as adoption and shared parental leave). They already have the right to be offered any suitable alternative vacancy in a redundancy situation. This has been extended from the point an employee informs an employer they are pregnant until 18 months after childbirth. It also includes those who have recently returned from adoption leave and for someone who has taken a period of six or more weeks of shared parental leave.
Flexible working
There are significant changes to the right to request flexible working.
Key Points
Day one right so an employee can request flexible working from 1st day of employment
Employees can make 2 flexible working requests in a 12 month period
Employers must consult with an employee before refusing a request.
Employers must respond to a request within two months.
An employee no longer has to explain the effect on their role and how it will be dealt with.
Paternity Leave
Paternity leave has become more flexible. The changes mean that:
Leave can be taken within 52 weeks of birth
Leave can be split into two separate blocks of one weeks instead of having to take a continuous two week period.
Holiday pay
Although this change was made in January, it affects many employers with a holiday starting in April. The changes affect those with irregular hours and part year workers and simplify holiday calculations and pay (it may even look familiar).
Key Points
Employers can use the accrual method of 12.07% of hours worked in a pay period (based on statutory 5.6 weeks holiday).
Holiday pay can be rolled up and paid in each pay period.
All this information is contained in our downloadable document below. Print it out and stick it on your wall for easy reference.
For support with any of the changes, or any HR or employment challenges, get in touch at hello@dynamic-ps.co.uk
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