New Legislation:

We can assist you with updating your policies and procedures to comply with new legislation.

Employment Simplification Bill
Legislative framework for Gibbons Review - repeal of statutory DDP & GP, new enforcement for NM Wage, and new powers on employment agencies standards.
(Early 2008)

Occupational Pensions (Revaluation) Order 2007
comes into force, specifying the revaluation percentages for the purpose of the revaluation on or after 1 January 2008 of benefits under occupational pension schemes (as required by section 84 of and Schedule 3 to that Act).
(1 Jan 2008)

New business mileage rates
in effect. See HMRC website for further information.
(1 Jan 2008)

Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2007
increases compensatory awards made to workers in employment rights cases. The legislation can be viewed on the OPSI website.
(1 Feb 2008)

Limits to the Awards of Employment Tribunals from 1 Feb 2008-31 Jan 2009:
Minimum basic award for unfair dismissal in health and safety, employee representative, occupational pension scheme trustee and trade union cases: £4400
Amount of award for unlawful inducement relating to trade union membership or activities, or for unlawful inducement related to collective bargaining: £2900
Minimum compensation awarded where a trade union fails to (1) comply with a tribunal's order to reinstate an expelled/excluded member, or (2) follow a tribunal's order to correct the infringement of a member's right not to be unjustifiably disciplined: £6900
Cap on the compensatory award for unfair dismissal: £63000
Cap on a week's pay (eg for calculating statutory redundancy pay or the basic award for unfair dismissal: £330
Maximum basic award for unfair dismissal: £9900
Minimum additional award in cases of unfair dismissal: £8580
Maximum additional award in cases of unfair dismissal: £17160

New measures to check that a worker has the right to work in the UK
Introduction of the above, plus new penalties for the employment of illegal workers. For more information see the Border and Immigration Agency website.
(29 Feb 2008)

Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007
New offence of corporate manslaughter in England, Wales & Northern Ireland, and corporate homicide in Scotland introduced. New level of corporate liability introduced. The Act can be viewed on the OPSI website.
(6 April 2008)

Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004
Extended to undertakings with 50 or more employees. The Regulations can be viewed on the OPSI website.
(6 Apr 2008)

Occupational & Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers & Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2006- Extension
Statutory consultation requirements extended to undertakings with 50 or more employees. Guidance on the Regulations is available on the Department for Work and Pensions website.
(6 Apr 2008)

P45/P46 submissions
All large (250+ employees in a PAYE scheme) and medium-size (50-249 employees in a PAYE scheme) employers are required to transact in-year forms P45/P46 online from this date.
(6 Apr 2008)

Standard rate of statutory sick pay
increases to £75.40 per week provided average earnings are at least £90 a week.
(6 Apr 2008)

Standard rate of statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay
SSP - increases from £112.75 to £117.18 per week, provided average earnings are at least £90 a week.
SMP - 90% of average weekly earnings for first 6 weeks, followed by the lower of 90% of average weekly earnings or £117.18 for all remaining weeks.
SPP - the lower of 90% of average weekly earnings or £117.18 for up to two weeks.
SAP - the lower of 90% of average weekly earnings for all weeks.
(6 Apr 2008)

Single vetting system for checking the suitability of potential employees to work with children and vulnerable adults
will start to be phased in. The system will be introduced under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Act 2006. More information is available on the Every Child Matters website
(Autumn 2008)

Changes to Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Definition of harassment to be altered and changes to basis on which pregnancy-related discrimination claims can be made
(tbc)

National Minimum Wage rates
The main rate will rise from £5.52 to £5.75 per hour and the ages 18-21 rate will rise from £4.60 to £4.77 per hour. The rate for 16 and 17 year olds will rise from £3.40 to £3.53 per hour.
(1 Oct 2008)

Tribunals, Courts & Enforcement Act 2007
Tribunal chairmen become 'employment judges' and enforcement of tribunal awards strengthened.
(2008/2009)

Annual Leave (Amendment to Working Health & Safety Time Legislation) Regulations 2007
Increase in statutory minimum paid holiday entitlement from 4.8 to 5.6 weeks (24 to 28 days for those working a five-day week). More details on the Government's proposals are available on the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website.
(1 April 2009)

Single Equality Act - Green paper consultation completed 2007
Consolidation and extension of law, e.g. uniform definition of extension of indirect discrimination and employer's defence to disability-related discrimination to be weakened.
(April 2009 tbc)

Weekly working time limit for junior doctors reduced from 56 to 48 hours
in accordance with the Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2003.
(1 August 2009)

(Dates) shown are the planned or actual implementation dates.