October employment law changes: key XpertHR resources
XpertHR rounds up key content on employment law changes that came into force on 1 October 2014. The changes cover time off to attend antenatal appointments, the national minimum wage, reservists and equal pay audits.
October 2014 employment law changes On this XpertHR Weekly, we explain the employment law changes that came into force on 1 October.
The changes include a new right to time off for staff to accompany their pregnant partner at an antenatal appointment and an increase in the national minimum wage rates. Also, an additional type of payment for small and medium-sized businesses to recover costs when reservists are called out is introduced and employees no longer need the usual two years' qualifying service to claim unfair dismissal where the reason or principal reason for dismissal is the employee's reservist service. Plus, there is a new power for employment tribunals to order an equal pay audit in certain circumstances.
Time off for fathers and partners to attend antenatal appointments
- Policies and documents > Letter explaining the right for staff to request time off to accompany a pregnant woman at an antenatal appointment
- Policies and documents > Letter responding to an individual who has requested time off to accompany a pregnant woman at an antenatal appointment
- Policies and documents > Declaration form for an individual who has requested time off to accompany a pregnant woman at an antenatal appointment
- Policies and documents > Paternity policy > Time off for antenatal care
- How to > How to deal with requests for time off for antenatal care
- FAQs > Is the spouse or partner of a pregnant woman entitled to time off work to attend scans and other antenatal appointments?
- Quick reference > Statutory rights to time off work
- Employment law manual > Family-friendly rights > Pregnancy and maternity leave > Time off for fathers and partners to accompany pregnant women to antenatal appointments
National minimum wage increase
- Policies and documents > Letter advising a worker of a pay increase because of a rise in the rate of the national minimum wage
- Policies and documents > Letter providing national minimum wage statement
- Statutory rates > National minimum wage
- FAQs > What is the current rate for the national minimum wage?
- FAQs > What rate of the national minimum wage is payable when 1 October 2014 falls within a worker's pay reference period?
- Employment law manual > National minimum wage > Rate of the national minimum wage
- How to > How to review your organisation's pay rates against the national minimum wage
Reservists: financial assistance and unfair dismissal qualification
- Liveflo > Reserve forces: Managing a reservist's mobilisation
- Policies and documents > Policy on employing reservists
- How to > How to respond when members of the reserve forces are called out for military service
- FAQs > What financial assistance can an employer claim from the Ministry of Defence when one of its employees is mobilised?
- Quick reference > Reserve forces - awards to employers
- Quick reference > Reserve forces - requirements for financial assistance claim
Equal pay audits ordered by tribunals
- FAQs > When will a tribunal order an employer to carry out an equal pay audit?
- Employment law manual > Discrimination remedies and penalties > Equal pay audits
