Employment Law – 2015
After the Conversation government became elected, the Queen’s Speech included various planned changes to employment law in 2015. These include a commitment to achieve full employment, changes to immigration law and more restrictions on strike action.
Following is the changes that 2015 have seen in employment law so far, and what we can expect to see in the months to come;
January;
Holiday pay regulations came into force which placed a two year limit on claims for unfair reduction from their wages in respect of holiday pay. This regulation will applies to claims which were presented on or after 1st July 2015.
From 5th January 2015, employment agencies and employment businesses in Great Britain were banned from advertising jobs exclusively in other European Economic Area countries, without advertising them in Great Britain.
March;
Data Protection Act, Section 56, was implemented on 10 March 2015 after it was delayed back in December 2014. Section 56 means that it is an offence for an employer to require an employee to see their DPA subject access rights to produce a copy of their criminal record.
April;
Shared Parental Leave scheme came into place for parents whose babies were due on or after 5 April 2015, or who had children placed for adoption on or after then too. The rate for this leave is £139.58 which is in line with other maternity, paternity and adoption allowances.
Statutory adoption pay was brought in line with statutory maternity pay. Adopters are now eligible to take paid time off for some of their adoption appointments.
Shared Parental Leave has been extended to parents who have any child under the age of 18.
The Pension Schemes Act enables people to access their pension more flexibly.
The basic rates of SSP increased to £88.45, statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay and statutory adoption pay all increased to £139.58.
May;
A ban on exclusivity clauses in zero-hour contracts began in May and a new regime for English apprenticeships.
A £20,000 maximum penalty for underpaying the national minimum wage, on a per worker basis, came into force.
October;
National Minimum Wage will increase to £6.70, the development rate for 18-20 age range will increase to £5.30 and 16-17 age range increases to £3.87 whilst the apprenticeship rate will increase to £3.30.
Changes to the Equality Act 2010 which will remove the power of employment tribunals to issue wider recommendations in successful discrimination cases.
(CIPD, June 2015).
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