Posts Tagged ‘national’

Tuesday 6th April 2010 is a key day for all employers and HR professionals as it sees the implementation of a number of new laws and changes in existing employment law.  Below is an overview:

Fit notes

Sick notes will be replaced by a fit-note system under which GPs can suggest adjustments to an employee’s role and/or workplace to enable them to return to work. The system was recommended in 2008 by Dame Carol Black, the national director for work and health, in her review of sickness absence.

Requests in relation to study or training

Employees will have a legal right to make a request in relation to study or training – for example, time off work to study.  The right is modelled on the procedure allowing parents and carers to make a request for flexible working.  A refusal of a request must be on one or more grounds specified in the legislation.

Additional paternity leave

Additional paternity leave will see fathers allowed to take up to 26 weeks’ paternity leave in the first year of a child’s life.  This will, in effect, allow fathers to share maternity leave with the mother, who will be able to return to work after six months, leaving the father to take what is left of the 12 months’ maternity leave.

Pensions

The minimum pension age increases from 50 to 55 unless retirement is on the grounds of serious ill health, the member has a protected pension age, or the member started taking benefits before 6 April 2020. Meanwhile, the number of years needed to receive a full basic state pension reduces to 30. The state pension retirement age for women born after 6 April 2010 will rise to 65 between 2010 and 2020.

Statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay

From 4 April 2010, the standard rates of statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay and statutory adoption pay will increase from £123.06 to £124.88.  Statutory sick pay will continue at the rate of £79.15 per week.

For more information and for answers to key questions visit Personnel Today.

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Business Link have recently launched a free guide for businesses on the forthcoming launch of UK identity cards.  One type of identity cards have already been issued to non-EEA / Switzerland who are residing in the UK.  The next phase will see appropriate cards issued to UK and European citizens living in the Greater Manchester area before being rolled out across the UK.

Order your free copy of the guide for businesses to understand the different types of card, your obligations and also the potential benefits of the scheme at the Business Link Website.

The Regulations increase the rate of the national minimum wage. The main rate rises from £5.73 per hour to £5.80 per hour and the development rate from £4.77 per hour to £4.83 per hour. The rate for workers aged 16 to 17 years increases from £3.53 to £3.57 per hour. The Regulations also specify new classes of persons who do not qualify for the national minimum wage and increase the day value of the accommodation amount that can be taken into account where an employer provides an employee with housing from £4.46 to £4.51.The Regulations can be viewed on the OPSI website.