What 2019 Holds For Employment Law

Dear

The start of a new year usually brings optimism, business planning, strategic marketing, and is usually the start of a strong sales period for many businesses. But while your employees are working away, have you stepped back and taken notice of some of the new changes to employment law that are swooping in this year? There’s a lot going on in the employment law sector, but here are just a few of the things you might have missed.

2019 Employment Law Changes To Watch Out For

From post-Brexit immigration worries to gender pay reporting, 2019 has a lot going for it already, and January isn’t even over! Over the next 12 months there will be a lot of changes on the employment law scene, there are a few we thought we should mention:

Post-Brexit Immigration Rule Changes

Yes, Brexit continues to dominate the headlines. But the truth is that regardless of whether a deal for the UK’s exit is agreed or not (and it’s looking quite unlikely now), the rules around UK companies employing EU nationals are going to change. For employers, this means any employees (new or old) from an EU country will need to be subject to the same restrictions of other foreign nationals (which you can find here).

Executive Pay Reporting
As of the 1st of January, it is now mandatory for businesses who have more than 250 employees to report on the ratios between the CEO and employee’s pay and benefits. This comes off the back of the gender pay gap reporting and means that bigger businesses need to start gathering evidence now.

National Minimum Wage Increases.
And of course, the year wouldn’t be complete without an increase in the national minimum wage, which will go up to £8.21 per hour from April 1st. Other national minimum wage rates are set to increase as well, so make sure you’re ready to adjust your payroll.

You can find out what the others are by clicking here.

Prepare For Flu Season

Did you know that your employees will take around 53% more sick days in January than in any other month of the year? Or that around 34 million working days were lost to ‘minor illnesses’ like coughs and colds last year? That might seem like an alarming number, and it is. After all, sick days are still paid, so every one taken is a cost to your business. But what’s more worrying is that most businesses don’t seem to be doing anything to reduce sickness in their employees during the winter months. Whether that’s making sure they save some holiday for resting and relaxing during the winter months or giving them time, space and encouragement to focus on their wellbeing at work. Offering flexible working, or the ability to work from home can make a huge difference to employees, and can reduce your sickness rate at the same time.

To find out more about what you can do to support your employees and reduce sick days,

Ask Us a Question Today

Always Stay On The Right Side!

Of course, handling all of these new changes to employment law can be tricky, especially if you’re running a small HR department. If you’re having issues with staff, policies or procedures during the New Year, or struggling to understand what you need to do to be compliant, it doesn’t hurt to get a little help and advice from the employment law experts. At Herefords, we offer hands-on, practical advice and guidance around all elements of employment law. Our service is all about guiding you through the minefield, helping you to understand the law and how it applies to your business. And thanks to our new Employment Law Retainer, you can be confident that your key HR decisions and advice are compliant and appropriate. You can find out more about our employment law retainer by clicking here.

Or for more information on handling issues in the workplace, you can get in touch with us and book your free consultation.

Best,
Zahir Mohammed
Employment Solicitor
0203 669 2216