Autumn Employment Law Changes
As of today, 1st October 2015, employers should be aware of a number of changes to employment law which have now come into effect. These include:
- Increasing the rate of the national minimum wage as follows:
- Apprentice rate, from £2.73 per hour to £3.30 per hour;
- Under 18 rate, from £3.79 per hour to £3.87 per hour;
- 18-20 rate, from £5.13 per hour to £5.30 per hour; and
- 21 and over rate, from £6.50 per hour to £6.70 per hour
- Removing the power of an Employment Tribunal to make wider “recommendations” in discrimination cases (they can only make recommendations regarding the individual claimant);
- Expanding the right for Sikhs to wear turbans in place of a safety helmet (previously only permitted on a construction site) to all workplaces, subject to some exceptions including occupations that involve providing an urgent response to fire or other hazardous situations, military personnel or where a safety helmet is necessary for the individual’s health and safety; and
- Limiting the application of Health and Safety laws to self-employed people with no employees.
For more information please contact Martin Sinclair or Nicola Gray or call 01224 632464.
