HUMAN RESOURCES

February 2012 – Employment Law Changes You Need To Know

There are a number of changes coming into affect as of today 1st February 2012 that as an employer you need to know.

Statutory Redundancy Payment Increases
As of today, 1st February 2012, the cap on a week’s pay for calculating statutory redundancy increases from £400 to £430. The new maximum statutory redundancy pay is £12,900.

Unfair Dismissal – Basic Award Increases
An award of compensation for unfair dismissal is made up of a basic award as well as a compensatory award. The limit on a week’s pay for calculating the basic award increases on 1st February 2012 from £400 to £430. The basic award is calculated in the same way as statutory redundancy pay, so it is based on the age, earnings and length of service of the employee.

Unfair Dismissal – Compensatory Award Increases
The maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal increases from £68,400 to £72,300 as of 1st February 2012. There is however, still no maximum applied in certain circumstances. Please contact HPC for more information should you require.

A ‘week’s pay’ increases for other compensation
The increase to the statutory cap on a week’s pay from £400 to £430 on 1st February will raise the limit on certain other awards a tribunal can make. These include the award for refusing to allow an employee to be accompanied at a disciplinary or grievance hearing and for failure to follow the statutory procedure in relation to a request for flexible working.

Guarantee Payment Increases
The limit on the guarantee payment for a ‘workless day’ rises from £22.20 to £23.50 on 1st February. A workless day is one where the employee is not provided with work throughout a day or shift on which they are normally required to work.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

8 March 2012 – Parental Leave Extended
The Parental leave Directive must be implemented by 8th March 2012. What it means is that entitlement to take unpaid leave will be extended from 13 weeks to 4 months.

6 April 2012 – Unfair Dismissal – Increase in Qualifying Period
The qualifying period of service for bringing an unfair dismissal claim will increase from 1 year to 2 years from 6 April 2012. It is important to note that protected circumstances were an employee may bring an unfair dismissal claim regardless of length of service will remain.

For more information relating to these changes please contact High Performance Consultancy on 0844 800 5232.

Contact Details:

Tel. 0844 800 5932
Fax. 0844 800 5936
Email. Victoria@highperformanceconsultancy.com
Web. www.highperformanceconsultancy.com