Several changes are to take place, and have taken place, in employment law in 2024. There are 9 major changes to be aware of.
The changes below numbered 1-6 took effect from 6 April 2024; 7-9 are as stated in the text.
It is our pleasure to provide you with a short, helpful summary of each and feel free to contact us should you have any questions or require further support.
In addition, Jones Chase is offering a discounted “Your Document Service” package to allow our clients to stay fully up to date and on top of the 2024 legal changes. Please get in touch with your usual Jones Chase contact for further information, or otherwise reach us via info@joneschase.com / 0203 837 9914.
1. Enhanced redundancy protection for employees who are pregnant or on maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave
If an employee is at risk of redundancy, and is pregnant, and has informed the employer of that fact, or is on or returning from maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, the employee is entitled to be offered a suitable alternative role, if one is available. The protection period lasts typically for 18 months after birth or placement.
2. Amendments to the flexible working regime
The right to request flexible working is a “day one” right (the current requirement of at least 26 weeks’ service has been removed). Employees are entitled to make two requests (instead of one) in any 12-month period. Employers must consult and decide within two months of the request unless agreed otherwise (reduced from three months). Employers can still decline requests relying upon one of the statutory reasons to do so. These reasons have not changed. A new ACAS code has been published on this topic.
3. New statutory entitlement for unpaid carer’s leave for employees
A new employee “day one” right, if the employee is a carer. The right is up to one week’s unpaid leave in a 12-month rolling period to be the carer or arrange care for the dependent. During this leave, an employee is entitled to the benefit of all their terms and conditions except their salary. The leave can be taken in whole days, half days or in a block of one week.
4. New paternity leave regulations
The current two-week period has not been changed; however, an employee can choose to take two single weeks off or two weeks together within 52 weeks after the birth of their child. The required notice has changed to 28 days (it used to be 15 weeks before the expected week of childbirth).
5. Changes to the National Minimum Wage rates
For those aged 21 and over £11.44 per hour (up from £10.42);
For those aged 18 – 20 £8.60 per hour (up from £7.49); and
For those aged 16 and 17, and apprentices £6.40 per hour (up from £5.28.)
6. Changes to compensation limits
Statutory redundancy (basic award for unfair dismissal) increases from £643 to £700.00
Maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal increases from £105,707.00 to £115,115.00.
7. Changes to TUPE consultation obligations
For transfers on or after 1 July 2024, businesses with either fewer than 50 employees or transfers involving fewer than 10 employees, can consult with employees directly rather than elect representatives (where no existing representatives are in place). The need to consult remains.
8. Mandatory duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace
The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 comes into force in October 2024. It introduces a duty on employers to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment, be proactive in preventing sexual harassment in the workplace and a greater responsibility is placed on employers to make their workplaces safer for all staff.
9. New government guidance to simplify holiday entitlement and holiday pay calculations in the Working Time Regulations.
Some holiday changes came into effect from 1 January 2024, a change to the carryover of leave including leave affected by COVID-19, a change to the definition of irregular hours workers and part-year workers; and a change to the definition of a week’s pay for holiday pay calculations. Other changes impacted leave years beginning on or after 1 April 2024, including a new method to calculate statutory holiday entitlement for irregular hours and part-year workers, and introducing rolled-up holiday pay.