The year 2024 is going to be very active for employment laws. April of this year saw the implementation of the majority of the new laws. These updates on employment law will provide you with the latest information on significant new laws, their consequences, and the necessary steps. The headline changes are listed in the above table of contents. Increasing worker rights and making arrangements for working parents are the two key concerns. To hire a solicitor that offers effective employment laws and helps the business grow at its highest then employment law solicitors Manchester is the right choice for you. Commencing in April 2024, the Government has declared that mandatory payments and unemployment tribunal awards will be subject to annual adjustments.
Business Immigration
In the run-up to the election, immigration for business has also been a hot topic. To help you keep track of the important immigrant takeaways from their platforms, experts have emphasized the key ideas for authorised immigration from the Liberal Democrats, the Coalition of Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, as well as the Scottish National Party.
Regulating AI
With AI legislation still a hot topic in the UK and internationally, Ellen Goodland, as well as Victoria McCarron, has summed up key themes from the Equality as well as the Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) response to the latest government White Paper on the subject.
Flexible Working Arrangements
On April 6, 2024, the right to inquire about flexible work became a day-one right. As a consequence, irrespective of their duration of service, everyone who works can now seek flexible working arrangements.
Furthermore, regulations issued at the end of March confirmed that the following modifications would take effect on April 6th:
- Employees may seek two flexible working arrangements in 12 months.
- Employers have a couple of weeks to react.
- Employers must engage with their employees before declining a request.
- Employees are no longer required to explain the implications of their request.
Potential Impact On The Future Course Of Business Bargaining
Experts have filed an application with the Fair Work Commission (Commission) for one group of employer authorization, which will put a key component of the new multi-enterprise negotiating regime created by the Secure Jobs, Better Pay improvements to the examination. Information on the Secure Jobs, More Effective Pay revisions to multi-employer negotiating laws.
Key Takeaways
- The decision of this case may have a significant impact on the future path of enterprise bargaining since it will throw light on how genuine or likely multi-employer negotiating is for many firms.
- The Commission’s interpretation of essential sections of the single-interest employment authorization clauses will be a must-watch, particularly the factors considered significant by the Commission in assessing whether:
- Employers have recognized similar interests, the authorization is not adverse to the public interest, and their operations are reasonably comparable.
Carer’s Leave
Employees with caring obligations can now take a single week of leave without pay each year. This applies to any employees who care for a spouse, civil partner, child, parent, or other dependent who requires care due to a disability, old age, or any disease or accident that is expected to last at least three months. The leave entitlements can be utilized on the very initial day of being employed with no qualification period.
Increased Protection Against Redundancies For Pregnant Staff
Employees taking specific types of leave for parenting are now protected from redundancies for a minimum of 18 months. This safeguard means that if their position is eliminated, the company they work for must give them priority for any other open positions; nevertheless, they may still be laid off if no suitable position is available. Previously, employees were only protected during their maternity, adoption, or shared parental leave periods.
Protection currently begins on the day before the employer is told of the employee’s pregnancy and concludes 18 months afterwards the child is born. These protections are been extended to 18 months from the completion of adoption for parents undergoing adoptive leave, or 18 months following the child’s birth if a parent undertakes no less than six weeks of combined parental leave.
Final Words:
Employees seeking statutory maternity leave (and pay, if eligible) can now divide their two-week entitlement between two independent one-week chunks, rather than needing the option of taking these individuals both at once. They may additionally utilise the additional two months at any time throughout the first twelve months following their child’s birth, as opposed to only the initial eight weeks of pregnancy, as was previously required.
