Get in touch 0117 325 0526

Government Reforms (1): April changes – Are you ready?

It’s nearly April and, as usual, this month sees a spring clean for employment law.  Although we’ve covered the majority of these changes in previous newsletters and alerts, we thought it was worth a quick reminder:

1 April 2019

Increase in National Living and Minimum Wage

The new rates are as follows:

Changes to auto enrolment rates

The minimum contribution rates will increase to 3% for employers and 5% for employees.

4 April 2019

Gender pay gap reports due

Date by which all applicable private sector employers must publish their gender pay gap data for the snapshot date of 5 April 2018.

The report must be published on the Government website and a searchable UK website that is accessible to employees and the public.

6 April 2019

Itemised pay slips

The right to receive a written itemised payslip will apply to ‘workers’ as well as employees.  The payslips of workers and employees paid by the hour must clearly set out the number of hours for which they have been paid.

All payslips must include:

Government guidance on this new right is available here.

Assuming you already pay your (casual) workers via payroll, you will no doubt already give them itemised pay slips in the same way as your full employees.

But it is another useful reminder for us to say: are you entirely confident as to the differences between any casual workers and any zero hours employees you may have working for you?  And between casual workers and the genuinely self-employed?  It is a complex area, often neglected because of all the other things on your plates, but actually quite high risk as we see more and more focus on employment status.

Would you like us to have a look at your set-up and advise you on what would be the best arrangements?

6 April 2019

Increases in statutory payments and Tribunal awards

The limits on compensation awards will increase. The changes are as follows:

The increases are based on a 3.3% increase to the retail prices index (RPI) as at September 2018.

The new rates take effect where the ‘appropriate date’ for the course of action, such as the date of termination in an unfair dismissal claim, falls on or after 6 April 2019. In cases where the date of termination falls before 6 April 2019, the old limits will continue to apply.

6 April 2019

Increase in penalties for aggravated breach of a worker’s employment rights

Tribunals have the power to impose a financial penalty against employers that are in breach of employment rights where that breach has one or more aggravating factors.

The maximum compensation will increase from £5,000 to £20,000.

 Tax changes

The personal allowance will increase to £12,500 and the higher rate tax threshold to £50,000.

Class 2 NICs will be abolished.

 

6/7 April 2019

Increases to the statutory rates for maternity, paternity, shared parental pay, adoption and sick pay

Statutory rates for everything other than sick pay will increase from £145.18 to £148.68 or 90% of average earnings if lower.

Statutory sick pay will increase from £92.05 to £94.25.

 

April 2019

Apprenticeship levy

Employers may transfer up to 25% of their apprenticeship levy to support apprentices in their supply chain.

Share this...

Newsletter sign up

Review Solicitiors

5.0/5