What's happening in employment law in 2024?

There’s lots of employment law changes on the horizon in 2024, from new menopause guidance to holiday pay changes.

To help you stay ahead, here’s a quick summary of what the changes are and when they will be coming into force, as well as some practical action points.

As we said, there’s lots of changes get through! So, if you’re short of time, you can jump to the section/s you need by selecting the links below.

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    What's happening in employment case law in 2023

    Holiday Headaches – irregular and part year workers

    Changes apply from 1 April 2024 and applies to leave accrued after 1 April 2024.

    The government has introduced reforms to simplify holiday entitlement and holiday pay calculations in the Working Time Regulations.

    💡 A tip for those new to the holiday calculation game:

    To check holiday pay, probably after you’ve thrown your calculator against the wall, use the .gov calculator.  Oh and remember, it’s always easier to work in terms of holiday hours than holiday days when it comes to part time workers.

    Note that the Regulations from the pandemic that allowed for leave to be rolled over, have now been removed.

    Method of calculation holiday for irregular worker and part year workers

    Holiday entitlement for workers is calculated as 12.07% of actual hours worked in a pay period.

    If your employees are paid monthly the pay period is the previous month. (Reverting to the way, it was calculated before the case law in relation to this; Harper v Brazel).

    If an employee or worker is entitled to more that statutory holiday, the 12.07% calculation is different, check .gov for details.

    Definition of an irregular worker: someone on a zero-hour contract or workers agreements whose hours are generally irregular or someone who works term time only and is only paid for the hours they work during the terms they work, rather than being paid on a monthly basis throughout the year.

    Irregular workers leave calculations (maternity or family related leave)

    The calculation method follows the same principle as the accrual method for statutory holiday entitlement as outlined above. However, to determine the number of hours worked, the new method introduces a 52-week relevant period of when a worker was working prior to them starting their family related leave.

    Once you have calculated the number hours worked during this period divide by 52 to get the average hours. Again, .gov gives more details.

    Carry over leave

    1. If someone returns from Mat leave or family leave they can carry over their statutory 28 days holiday to the following year.
    2. If someone on a ‘regular’ contract returns from sick leave, they can carry over up to 20 days of holiday. This much be used within 18 months, starting from the end of the leave year in which it accrued.
    3. Part-time employees or those working irregular hours returning from sick leave can carry over up to 28 days of their unused leave entitlement. This includes both statutory leave and bank holidays (usually 28 days for full-time employees, pro-rated for part-time). The carried-over leave must be used within 18 months from the end of the leave year in which it accrued.

    Rolled-up holiday pay explained

    What is it?

    Rolled-up holiday pay is an optional method for employers to calculate and pay the holiday entitlement of part-time and irregular hours workers. Instead of offering them paid leave days, employers can choose to include an additional amount in their regular salary. This additional amount represents the employee’s accrued holiday pay.

    Key Points

    • Who is eligible? Only part-time and irregular hours workers can have their holiday pay rolled-up.
    • How is it paid? The additional amount is added to the employee’s regular salary and clearly identified on their payslips.
    • Calculation: The amount is calculated by applying a 12.07% rate (as explained previously) to the total hours worked during the pay period.
    • Reference period: A 52-week reference period is used to calculate the employee’s average pay before taking holiday leave, ensuring they receive the correct amount.

    Can we apply this part way through a holiday year?

    The following reforms will only apply to hoidlay leave years beginning on or after 1 April 2024:

    • Introducing a method to calculate statutory holiday entitlement for irregular hours and part-year workers.
    • Introducing a method to work out how much leave an irregular hour or part-year worker has accrued when they take maternity or family related leave or are off sick.
    • Introducing rolled-up holiday pay as an alternative method to calculate holiday pay for irregular hours workers and part-year workers.

    Therefore, if an employer’s holiday year commenced on the 1st January 2024 they will only be able to introduce these changes from 1st January 2025.

    🎬 Action points

    • Reviewing contracts: When reviewing contracts or handbooks, verify the employee’s contract type and confirm the correct method of holiday pay calculation is used.
    • Checklist update: If you use a checklist for changing employees’ contractual terms related to hours or workdays, add a check for the holiday calculation method.
    • Transparent communication: Inform employees if their holiday pay is rolled-up to avoid any confusion.

    Fire and rehire 

    Watch this space and clarification expected later this year.

    This refers to dismissal and reengagement of the same employee on less favourable terms.

    A new statutory code is being introduced.

    Employment tribunals will have the power to apply an uplift of up to 25% of an employee’s compensation if an employer unreasonably fails to comply with the code.

    It’s suggested employers contact ACAS at an early stage before any potential fire and rehire situation.

    Employers must give their employees any information in relation to the process in writing.

    The code will not just apply to redundancy situations, it will also apply to situations where the employer is considering this an option to avoid redundancy. It will also apply in situation where employers are seeking to change terms and conditions of employment.

    There will be a requirement to consult for as long as reasonable possible. So, no designated consultation timescales as there are with redundancy.

    During consultation employers will need to explore alternatives to avoid hire and fire and will need to demonstrate that there was a focus on reaching agreement

    Fire and rehire should only be used a last resort.

    TUPE (transfer of undertakings protection of employment) Consultation

    Changes apply to TUPE situations that take place on or after 1 July 2024.

    Businesses with less than 50 employees can consult with staff directly, IF there are no reps already in place. Also…

    Businesses of any size, who are undertaking a transfer that will impact 10 or less employees can consult directly, IF there are no reps already in place.

    Where employee reps are already in place, they will still need to be consulted.

    Menopause

    Menopause symptoms can be classed as a disability (Equality Act 2010).

    Acas advises us that the menopause can also impact trans people and people with ‘variations of sexual development’. This could include people who are intersex so be considerate of this when wording policies/delivering training.

    Acas says that employers should train and educate all managers, on the menopause so that workplaces can create a supportive and open environment to help women manage their symptoms. Acas suggests that a failure to do so could result in women becoming mentally unwell, having increased absence, losing confidence, or leaving their roles – this could be relevant for constructive dismissal claims.

    Get training for your managers and HR teams here.

    Failure to make reasonable adjustments could amount to disability discrimination, however discrimination relating to menopause can also be related to the protected characteristics of age, gender reassignment and sex.

    🎬 Action points

    • Include a policy within your handbook – inform staff you now have a policy.
    • Training and awareness for managers.    
    • Add to any guidance you have for managers undertaking return to work interviews after sickness or performance management meetings etc to ensure you minimise the potential for any claims.

    Protection from redundancy after family leave (pregnancy and maternity)

    Changes apply from 1st April 2024

    Employees returning from family leave who are at risk of redundancy must be offered a suitable alternative before other employees also at risk and should not be asked to ‘apply’ for roles.  

    The changes apply to maternity leave, adoption leave and shared parental leave, not just maternity, despite headlines.

    The length of protection varies slightly but generally is for 18 months from the date of birth/placement. Please do check, rather than assume as protection does vary.

    There is also protection for employees who have suffered a miscarriage before 24 weeks (after 24 it’s considered a still birth, and maternity applies).

    A failure to offer a priority employee a suitable alternative vacancy would mean the employee has a claim for an automatic unfair dismissal, which would mean a compensatory award that is not capped (and does not require two years’ qualifying service). In some cases, they would also have a claim for discrimination.

    However, there is no guidance on what an employer should do if there are more employees with ‘priority status’ than there are jobs available.

    🎬 Action point

    Review any redundancy policy/managers’ guidance to ensure compliance. The cost of NOT being legally compliant is severe so take the time to ensure your managers and HR teams are aware of that. We don’t want anyone to get caught out simply because they didn’t know.

    FAQs (flexible working, paternity, statutory carers leave, neonatal carer’s leave, compensation rates)

    From April 2024

    Flexible working FAQ

    No – the employee now has a day 1 right to submit a flexible working request from April 2024.

    No – employers are now required to engage in a consultative process if they are thinking about rejecting a flexible working request.

    2 months – the time your employer has to respond to your flexible working request has reduced from 3 months to 2 months from April 2024.

    No – this requirement has now been removed and it allows the employees more flexibility in their request and ensures that employers collaboratively engage with the employee to determine the most suitable solution for both parties.

    2 requests – this has increased from only 1 request in a 12-month period from April 2024.

    Paternity FAQ

    No – employees will be able to take their two-week paternity leave entitlement as two separate one-week blocks rather than having to take just one or two weeks consecutively

    The employee only needs to give their employer 28 days’ notice of their intention to take paternity leave. This used to be 15 weeks before the Expected Week of Childbirth.

    The employee can take their paternity leave at any time in the 52 weeks after the birth. Previously it had to be taken, and end, within 56 days of the birth.

    These regulations apply in all cases where the Expected Week of Childbirth is on or after the 6th April 2024.

    Statutory Carers Leave FAQ

    An employee will qualify for statutory carer's leave if they care for a dependent with a long-term care need.

    An employee will be able to take a maximum of one week of unpaid leave a year to look after someone who relies on them for care.

    No, you are not able to, however you are able to postpone the request if their leave would seriously disrupt your business operations.

    From October 2024

    Neonatal Carer’s Leave FAQ

    Employers will have to grant an employee with a baby/babies in neonatal care up to 12 weeks maximum time off on top off maternity and paternity leave.

    This will be a day one right for the employee.

    Yes – this will be at the same rate you would pay for statutory maternity pay.

    New compensation rates

    Statutory Redundancy Pay

    The statutory rate of a maximum week’s pay for calculating redundancy basic award:

    Currently: until the 5th of April 2024 - £643 per week

    From April 6th 2024 - £700

    The maximum basic award:

    Until 5th of April 2024 - £19,290

    From 6th of April 2024 - £21,000

    Guarantee (Lay off) payments

    Until 5 April 2024: £35 a day (maximum £175, five days in any three-month period)

    From 6 April 2024: £38 a day (maximum £190, five days in any three-month period)

    National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage

    From 1st of April 2024

    Apprentices:

    Apprentice rate (aged under 19, or 19 and over and in their first year of apprenticeship): £6.40 per hour

    Apprentice rate (19 or over and in their second year of apprenticeship onwards): £8.60 per hour (National Minimum Wage)

    Workers:

    Young workers rate for workers aged 16-17: £6.40 per hour

    National Minimum Wage for workers aged 18-20: £8.60 per hour

    National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over: £11.44 per hour

    Statutory Sick Pay

    SSP is up to 28 weeks of statutory pay at the following rates:

    Until 5 April 2024: £109.40 (weekly) 

    From 6 April 2024: £116.75 (weekly)

    Statutory Maternity & Adoption Pay

    SMP allows for 39 weeks of statutory pay. The first six weeks is paid at 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings. The remaining weeks at the following rate, or 90% of earnings if lower. The rates are as follows: 

    Until 5 April 2024: £172.48 

    From 6 April 2024: £184.03 

    Statutory Paternity Leave

    Until 5 April 2024: £172.48 

    From 6 April 2024: £184.03 

    Employment Increases in Employment Tribunal Compensation Limits

    Coming into effect from the 6th of April 2024

    The maximum award for unfair dismissal, which is increasing from £105,707 to £115,115;

    The limit on a week’s pay, which is being raised from £643 to £700;

    The minimum basic award for some forms of unfair dismissal, which will increase from £7,836 to £8,533; and

    The statutory guarantee pay, which will rise from £35 per day to £38 per day.

    Current vento bands apply to claims presented on or after 6th of April 2023

    Lower band - £1,100 to £11,200 – for less serious cases
    Middle band - £11,200 to £33,700 – for cases that do not merit an award in the upper band
    Upper band - £33,700 to £56,200 – for the most serious cases 
    Exceptional cases - £56,200 or above  

    How Jaluch can help

    Jaluch provides practical and pragmatic support with day to day HR issues, employment law queries and training for employees and managers. Pay as you go support available with no ongoing contract required. Why not try us to see if our Plain English, practical style suits you!

    If you would like to discuss any of the above, get in touch call 01425 479888.

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    Disclaimer: The information contained within this article is for general guidance only and represents our understanding of employment and associated law and employee relations issues as at the date of publication. Jaluch Limited, or any of its directors or employees, cannot be held responsible for any action or inaction taken in reliance upon the contents. Specific advice should be sought on all individual matters.

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