|
Date coming into force |
Legislation |
Overview |
|
27 November 2008 |
POINTS BASED SYSTEM TIER 2 Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC1113 |
Tier 2 of the points based system, making new provision for skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area with a UK job offer, including intra-company transferees, was implemented replacing the work permit system. Employers wishing to recruit from outside the European Economic Area must apply for a sponsorship licence unless (the more difficult) tier 1 applies. |
|
1 February 2009 |
TRIBUNAL AWARDS Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2008 |
Annual increase in upper limits on awards of employment tribunals. The maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal will increase to £66,200. The cap on a week's pay for calculating statutory redundancy payments will increase to £350. There are no financial limits on awards for discrimination on a range of grounds widened over the past decade. |
|
1 April 2009 |
WORKING TIME The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2007 |
The statutory minimum paid annual holiday entitlement for a full-time worker will increase from 24 to 28 days. It will not be possible to replace the additional holiday entitlement by a payment in lieu. However, employers will remain free to include UK bank and public holidays in the entitlement if contracts allow. |
|
6 April 2009 |
FLEXIBLE WORKING Employment Rights Act 1996 TBA |
Despite the recession, the Government is pressing ahead with an extension of flexible working rights to all parents of older children under 16. Parents with children under 6 (and with disabled children under 18) as well as carers of adults already enjoy these rights. |
|
6 April 2009 |
DISPUTE RESOLUTION Employment Act 2008 |
The Act abolishes existing legislation on dismissal, disciplinary and grievance procedures introduced in October 2004. Tribunals will have a discretion to increase or decrease awards by up to 25% if there has been a failure to comply with the new ACAS Code of Practice. |
|
6 April 2009 |
SOCIAL SECURITY The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2009 |
The standard rates for SMP, SPP and SAP will increase to £123.06 per week (or 90% of average weekly earnings if less). The weekly rate of SSP will increase to £79.15. |
|
1 October 2009 |
MINIMUM WAGE National Minimum Wages 1999 (Amendment) Regulations 2009 |
New national minimum wage rates (TBA) will come into force. |
|
TBA 2010 |
EQUALITY Equality Bill |
The Equality Bill will extend positive action so that employers can take into account, where they feel it is appropriate, when selecting between two equally qualified candidates, under-representation of disadvantaged groups |
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April 2010 |
MATERNITY PAY EXTENDED Work and Families Act 2006 |
The Government intends to extend paid maternity leave to 12 months. This follows an extension to nine months from April 2007. |
|
April 2010 |
PATERNITY LEAVE AND PAY EXTENDED Work and Families Act 2006 |
Mothers and fathers will be able to divide paid leave. Specifically, fathers will be allowed to take up to 26 weeks additional paternity leave ("APL") to care for the child before its first birthday but after it is 20 weeks old. APL will depend on the mother returning to work during additional maternity leave. Additional statutory paternity pay ("ASPP") will start after the SMP has stopped and be paid at the same rate for the period of the unused SMP entitlement. |
|
April 2010 |
RETIREMENT Pensions Act 2007 |
The number of years contribution required to achieve a full basic state pension will reduce to 30 years for both men and women. Between 2024 and 2046 the state pension age will rise gradually from 65 to 68 years. |
|
TBA 2010 |
RIGHT TO REQUEST TIME OFF TO TRAIN TBA |
Employees will have the right to request time off for training once they have worked for their employer for 26 weeks. Employers will be obliged to consider seriously requests that they receive but will be able to refuse a request where there are good business reasons. Employers will not be obliged to meet the salary or training costs for requests for time to train though some will wish to do so. |
|
TBA 2010 |
AGENCY WORKERS TBA |
Following adoption of the Temporary Agency Workers Directive on 22 October 2008, the UK will introduce legislation to give new rights to agency workers. For example, after 12 weeks on an assignment, agency workers will be entitled to basic working and employment conditions at least as favourable as those of permanent employees. |
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