Are you ready for the new changes in employment legislation on 6th April 2024?
The following legislation will be coming in and employers will need to ensure they know their responsibilities and employee rights. The easiest way to do this is to request a copy of an HR policy from us for:
- Carer’s Leave
- Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave)
- Flexible Working
What are the changes?
Flexible Working – Employees currently have to have 26 weeks of continuous service to be entitled to apply for flexible working. Under the new regulations for the Employment Rights (Flexible Working) Act 2023, employees will be entitled to request flexible working from the very first day of their employment rather than after 26 weeks. Employers need to understand the right the employee has to request it, have a meeting and the right of appeal.
Carer’s Leave – Employees will now be able to request for ‘unpaid leave’ if they have caring responsibilities. This right is from day one. It applies to anyone who is caring for a partner, spouse, children, parent or any other dependent who needs care due to a disability, old age or any other illness/injury that is likely to require at least 3 month of care. The maximum amount of leave that can be taken is one week per year. Employers cannot deny the leave. But they can postpone it to give reasonable time to consider the interruptions to the organisation.
Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023 – Employees on maternity leave, shared parental leave or adoption leave already have special protection in a redundancy situation. This legislation extends to the priority status of pregnant employees and those who have recently returned from maternity or adoption leave and shared parental leave.
There are other changes to employment legislation in April 2024.
Please get in touch if you would like to understand these employment law changes: Enquiry Form – Sustainable & Ethical HR Consultancy – Specialised HR