KLc logo

HOT NEWS 29 September 2006

1 OCTOBER 2006 - EMPLOYMENT LAW CHANGES
 

The Employment Equality (Age Regulations) 2006 come into force outlawing discrimination on the grounds of age. Click here to read the Regulations and click here to read the ACAS guidance.

The National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 (Amendment) Regulations 2006 mean hourly rates will increase as follows:

  • Adult worker £5.35 (£5.05)
  • Workers 18 – 21 £4.45 (£4.25)
  • Workers 16 & 17 £3.30 (£3.00).
Click here to read the Regulations.

The Maternity and Adoption Leave etc. and the Paternity and Adoption Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2006 will apply to those employees whose expected week of childbirth, or date of adoption, is on or after 1 April 2007. The key changes are:

  • a mother/adopter will automatically be entitled to both ordinary and additional maternity/adoption leave.
  • a mother/adopter intending to return to work early will have to give eight weeks’ notice (rather than the current 28 days).
Click here to view the Regulations.

The Statutory Maternity Pay, Social Security (Maternity Allowance) and Social Security (Maternity Allowance) and Social Security (Overlapping Benefits) (Amendments) Regulations 2006 and The Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (General) and the Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (Weekly Rates) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 will apply to births or adoptions on or after the 1 April 2007.

The key changes are:

  • statutory maternity/adoption pay to increase to 39 weeks from 26 weeks
  • up to 10 'keeping in touch' days may be worked without losing the right to statutory maternity/adoption pay.
Click here to read the maternity Regulations and click here to read the adoption Regulations.

The Collective Redundancies (Amendment) Regulations 2006 will make it clear that employers must notify the Secretary of State at least 30 (or 90) days before any notice of redundancy has been issued. Following the European Court of Justice decision in the Junk case the DTI amended its Guidance Note on redundancy consultation. Click here to read the Regulations and click here to read the DTI guidance.



Close This Window