Whilst most of us are focussing on managing the immediate challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic we should not completely overlook the need to also comply with new employment law legislation as it comes into effect. So here’s a quick rundown of the top four changes for April 2020:
-
-
-
Repeal of the Swedish derogation. The
Agency Workers (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/724) removed the Swedish derogation provisions set out in regulations 10 and 11 of the Agency Worker Regulations 2010, so that all agency workers have a right to pay parity with comparators at the end hirer client after completing a 12 week qualifying period.
-
Key information for agency workers. The
Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/725) require all employment businesses to provide work-seekers with a key facts statement, before agreeing the terms under which the work-seeker will do the work. The document must be headed "Key Information Document" and must include prescribed information such as whether the work-seeker will be engaged under a contract of service, an apprenticeship or a contract for services and the minimum expected rate of pay etc.
The following increases in Statutory Payments have also become effective:
Statutory Sick Pay
Increase from £94.25 per week to £95.85.
Statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay
Increase from £148.68 per week to £151.20.
Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay
From 6 April 2020, a new statutory right came into force for employees to take parental bereavement leave. The Parental Bereavement Leave Regulations 2020 give all employees who lose a child under the age of 18, or suffer a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy, an entitlement to two weeks' statutory leave to be taken in one block or as two separate blocks of a week. Employees with at least 26 weeks' service, who meet minimum earnings criteria, will also qualify for statutory parental bereavement pay (at the same rate as statutory paternity pay).