Reform

Labour and Conservative manifesto pledges on employment law: What do they mean for employers?

The Labour party launched its 2024 General Election manifesto on 13 June; coming 2 days after launch of the Conservative manifesto, we are now able to assess how the main parties’ respective pledges on workplace rights could affect the employment law landscape. Labour manifesto As heavily trailed, there are not many surprises in Labour’s manifesto. […]

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Consultation on proposal to reintroduce fees in the Employment Tribunals

The government has published a consultation paper on proposals to reintroduce fees in the Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal The proposal is for a one-off fee of £55 payable on presentation of the claim There will be no fee payable at the hearing stage There will be no distinction between types of claim There

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Government announces five-point plan to cut migration figures to the UK

At a glance: Minimum salary threshold for Skilled Workers set to increase from GBP26,200 to GBP38,700 per annum (a third) from Spring 2024. The 20% reduction which can currently be applied to a role’s ‘going rate’ salary threshold for occupations that appear on the shortage list will be removed. Care workers sponsored under the Health

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Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act receives Royal Assent

  At a glance The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. The Act introduces a duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees in the workplace. It will come into force one year after the day on which it

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Post-Brexit regulatory reform of employment law

Following last week’s publication of its policy paper “Smarter regulation to grow the economy”,  the Government has now published a consultation on retained EU employment law and a response to its consultation on reform of non-compete clauses. Consultation on retained EU employment law The consultation paper confirms the Government’s intention to retain the UK’s strong

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Government to publish guidance on voluntary ethnicity pay gap reporting but will not make reporting mandatory

On 17 March the Government published a policy paper “Inclusive Britain: government response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities”  in response to the Commission’s 2021 report. Inclusive Britain sets out a wide-ranging Action Plan of measures on race equality across Government as part of a three-part strategy: to ensure that prejudice and discrimination have

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Information Commissioner’s call for views on employment practices: a survey for employers

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is calling for views on data protection and employment practices to help them shape their upcoming guidance products which will see existing guidance replaced with “a new, more user-friendly online resource with topic-specific areas”. DLA Piper’s employment group will be submitting a response to the ICO’s call for views and

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New workers’ watchdog announced today

Today the government has announced the publication of its response to consultation on establishing a new single enforcement body for employment rights, and confirmed that a new workers’ watchdog will be set up. The consultation dates back to July 2019, and was one of a myriad of consultations published in a flurry of activity in

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Are you ready for the impending changes to the IR35 regime?

With just 2 months to go until the changes to the IR35 regime come into force on 6 April, are you aware of what those changes will mean and do you have the necessary preparations in place? HMRC introduced IR35 (or the “off-payroll working rules”) in 2000 to tackle so-called “disguised” employment. It is designed

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Government publishes detailed guidance on Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and details of the Self-employment Income Support Scheme and announces relaxation of holiday carry-over rules

On 26 March the Government published more detailed guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) originally announced on 20 March. The CJRS is designed to support employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). Under the CJRS, UK employers with a PAYE payroll scheme as at 28 February 2020 will be able

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IR35 reforms to private sector postponed until April 2021

In unexpected, but almost certainly welcome news for businesses, the Government announced last night that it is postponing until 6 April 2021 its reforms to IR35 in the private sector, which were due to come into force on 6 April 2020. This news has come just a matter of weeks after the Government reviewed the

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New employment details to be given to April 2020 new starters

When the Government published proposals in its December 2018 Good Work Plan to extend the employment information which must be provided to employees, the implementation date felt like a long time off.  However, it is suddenly looming close and employers must ensure they are prepared and  able to provide the information to any new recruits

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IR35: Government publishes draft legislation reforming private sector off-payroll working

On 11 July 2019 the government published draft legislation (Draft Legislation) together with a summary of responses (Response Paper) to the policy paper and consultation document issued in March 2019 regarding proposed changes to the off-payroll working rules, commonly referred to as the IR35 regime, which apply to the private sector. The private sector IR35

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EHRC confirms enforcement action will be taken against employers who fail to publish gender pay gap reports

With one week to go until the deadline for employers of 250 or more employees to report their gender pay gap information, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has confirmed that it will take enforcement action against any employers who fail to report on time. In a statement on 26 March 2018, the EHRC

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Government publishes response to Taylor Review and four consultation papers

The Government has today published ‘Good Work’, its response to the Taylor Review which investigated what impact modern working practices are having on the world of work. The Taylor Review published its report in July 2017 and made wide-ranging recommendations regarding reforms of the law on agency work, paid holiday, sick pay, flexible working and

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