A brief Employment Update from 2016

Here is a quick rundown on the biggest changes of 2016 in the world of Employment Law.........

• April saw the introduction of the new national living wage. Workers over the age of 25 are now entitled to the national living wage rate of £7.20 per hour. Have you ensured your have made all relevant changes? The penalty for employers found not to have paid the national minimum wage doubles from 1 April 2016. The enforcement regime is the same for non-payment of the national living wage.
• April also saw the abolishment of employer NICs for all Apprentices under 25s and all a freeze on all statutory family-related pay and sick pay.
• Discussions are still under way regarding childcare and carers. Proposals to introduce shared grandparental leave were put forward in 2015 where by the mother would have the option to share her leave with one nominated working grandparent from 2018.
• 2016 has seen the introduction of the annual mandatory gender pay gap reporting. Employers with 250 or more employees in the private and voluntary sectors must disclose their gender pay gap and gender bonus gap information for 2017 by no later than 30 April 2018. The gender bonus gap information must be based on the preceding 12-month period, beginning with the 12 months leading up to 30 April 2017.