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On 1st April, employees are entitled to 5.6 weeks paid holiday including bank and public holidays. This means that for the normal 5 day week, a full time worker now has a minimum holiday entitlement of 28 days a year including bank holidays. Local businesses need to ensure that they give this to their employees as there is now a legal requirement to offer this minimum.
Roger Grove a partner at Atteys says:-
“Employment law is a fast changing field and it is wise to have employment contracts and terms checked by lawyers regularly to ensure you are compliant with the law. Another change from 6th April is that rates of statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay (paid for 2 weeks) rises from £117.18 a week to £123.06 a week and statutory sick pay, paid from the fourth day off sick, rises from £75.40 to £79.15 a week.
Employers under English law have no legal obligation to pay any employees when off sick unless the employment contract says so except for statutory sick pay. In the current economic climate more employers are opting not to pay new workers when they are off sick and are simply ensuring SSP is paid from day 4 of the absence where properly certified. However, much depends on the industry in which the employees are employed as to what is likely to be commercially acceptable to staff. Staff terms cannot be altered without careful negotiation.
Plenty of companies are reducing pay or offering four day weeks as an alternative to redundancy but imposing such changes can amount to constructive dismissal and claims may be brought by employees. If you have any issues such as this it is wise to take legal advice in advance and we would be happy to advise you in this area”.
Call Roger Grove on 01302 762815 for further information or advice.
Notes
1. The new holiday, SSP and other rates come into force on 6 April 2009.
2. Further information is at www.berr.gov.uk
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