We had a chat with Ed Heppel, Head of Employment at Rollits, about recent changes to employment law.
It can be difficult to keep track of the legislation side of business, which is why entrepreneurs, business owners and companies in Hull and East Yorkshire are fortunate to have Rollits on their side. With multiple changes having taken effect earlier this month, we spoke to Ed Heppel at Rollits about what they mean and the effect they have on both employers and employees.
“April is always a busy month in employment law,” said Ed, a Partner in the firm who heads up the employment team. “The National Minimum Wage rates increased on 1st April, and there has also been an increase in redundancy calculations and changes to family-friendly rights. For example, this month saw an improvement in the protection of individuals who are pregnant or on maternity/paternity leave from being made redundant.
“We’ve also seen the introduction of a new right to carer’s leave. People in employment are now entitled to take unpaid leave to provide care or arrange care for a dependant who requires physical or mental health support for a period of over three months.
“There are also changes to flexible working arrangements, which means that employers need to give employees the option to make two flexible working requests every 12 months, rather than the previous limit of just one.
“It’s very important for employers to have policies and procedures in place that are kept up to date and cover all potential circumstances. Family-friendly rights need to be consistent for all employees, otherwise an employer puts itself at risk of discrimination claims. For instance, a female employee may wish to work flexibly in order to provide childcare but be refused due to the company not offering flexible working. This could be misinterpreted as discrimination and lead to a lawsuit. That’s why a company’s policies and procedures need to be fair, consistent and clear for everyone.”
To offer further advice and guidance, Rollits will host an Employment Law Update Seminar on Tuesday 23rd April, which is free to attend. The event will be of particular interest to company directors, business owners, senior managers and HR professionals. Ed is speaking at the seminar and will be joined by Lucy Trynka, Senior Solicitor in employment, and James Peel, a Partner in the commercial and IP team, to discuss recent legislative changes, GDPR, and key case law developments that directly impact organisations.
If your business requires expert advice, assistance with employment issues, or support in drafting policies and procedures, make sure to get in touch with the team at Rollits. Hull Is This also recommends signing up to the Rollits newsletter, which delivers the latest legal updates straight to your inbox.