Fiona Hume, Astle Paterson’s Employment specialist, discusses the changes in employment law.
The Government may act to resolve the issue of successful claimants at Tribunal being unable to recover the payments awarded to them.
Following research that over one half of successful claimants do not receive their awards in full, the Government has indicated it may give Employment Judge’s the power to demand deposits from employers who they suspect may not pay such an award together with powers to issue fixed penalty notices for late payment.
Where an employer proposes to make redundant 100 or more employees at one “establishment”, consultation with their representatives must now start no less than 45 days before the first dismissal takes effect (a reduction from 90 days.)
Where an employer proposes to make redundant between 20 and 99 employees the consultation period is unchanged; consultation must begin at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect.
The Government has published the Children & Families Bill (CFB) which will implement some of the ‘family-friendly’ proposals originally outlined in their ‘Consultation on Modern Workplaces.’ From April 2015 the CFB will create a new right to shared parental leave and pay. As proposed by this Bill, parents will be able to share up to 52 weeks parental leave and up to 39 weeks parental pay (the leave can be taken concurrently or consecutively.)
The CFB will also create new rights for employees and agency workers to attend certain appointments, such as ante-natal appointments. ACAS has confirmed it will produce a new code of guidance for employers which will be published this year.
Please contact Fiona Hume of Astle Paterson (Solicitors in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire) on 01283 531366 or by way of email to fhume@astlepaterson.co.uk
