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The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) (Statements of Benefits: Money Purchase Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 make amendments to the regulations governing disclosure requirements for occupational pension schemes and personal pension schemes. The amendments require that the statement given to members of automatic enrolment schemes offering money purchase benefits, informing them of their pension savings, must not exceed two sides of A4 paper, and the equivalent if printed from an online statement.
Following a consultation, the Government has announced that it intends to introduce a new duty requiring employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.
This Bill, which is currently before parliament, makes several changes in relation to employment tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT)
The Government plans to introduce a new right for carers to take up to one week (five working days) of unpaid leave per year.
The Government has announced that it will legislate to ensure tips, gratuities and service charges go to workers in full as part of an upcoming Employment Bill.
Under the Modern Slavery Act, certain commercial organisations must publish modern slavery statements, setting out the steps they are taking to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.
The Government has announced that it will widen the ban on exclusivity clauses, which restrict staff from working for multiple employers, to contracts where the guaranteed weekly income is on or below the Lower Earnings Limit of £123 a week.
These regulations implement the new authorisation and supervisory regime for collective money purchase schemes.
The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) (Requirements to Refer Members to Guidance Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 have been introduced to ensure that scheme members seeking to access their defined contribution pension savings are made aware of Pension Wise guidance.
The UK and Ireland share a Common Travel Area (CTA) within which UK and Irish citizens can move freely, reside and enjoy associated rights and privileges, including the right to work. The new framework will support an agreement between the UK and Irish governments to ensure there are adequate routes to recognition for qualified professionals across the UK and Ireland.
This Act temporarily increases National Insurance (NI) contributions for the 2022 to 2023 tax year by 1.25 percentage points.
The Government is planning to remove flat fees for members of automatic enrolment pensions whose pension pots are worth less than £100.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 6 April 2022 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2022.
The draft Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2022 increases the weekly rates for statutory maternity pay and other types of statutory pay from April 2022.
The Director of Labour Market Enforcement is seeking evidence to inform her labour market enforcement strategy for 2023 to 2024.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a two-week consultation on revoking provisions which require Covid-19 vaccination as a condition of deployment (VCOD) in health and social care settings.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published the Government’s response to the short, two-week consultation on revoking provisions which require Covid-19 vaccination as a condition of deployment (VCOD) in health and social care settings.
Employment agencies in the entertainment, sport and modelling sectors can charge work-finding fees to businesses or workers. This is an exception to the general rule for employment agencies.
The Pensions Act 2014 requires the Government to review the state pension age every six years. It is now preparing for the second review.
This consultation seeks views on the draft Pensions Dashboards Regulations, which set out requirements to be met by pension dashboard service providers and trustees or managers of non-stakeholder occupational pension schemes in Great Britain.
This consultation seeks views on ensuring "fair work" remains at the heart of Scotland's labour market interventions, particularly in the context of Covid-19 and EU Exit.
The Department of Work and Pensions has worked with large employers and expert partners to develop a voluntary disability reporting framework. The framework helps organisations to record and voluntarily report information on disability, mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. It is aimed at employers with 250 or more employees, but is also available to smaller employers. However, research suggests that there is a low level of awareness and adoption of the framework.
The Pensions Regulator is seeking views on its draft Code of Practice for the authorisation and supervision of collective defined contribution (CDC) pension schemes. The draft code reflects regulations for CDC schemes laid before parliament in December 2021.
This formal Government consultation response confirms that it intends to proceed with making Covid-19 vaccination a condition of deployment within health and wider social care settings in England.
The Government is consulting on introducing mandatory certification this winter if the data indicates that the NHS is likely to come under unsustainable pressure — a situation described as Plan B.
This Act contains measures to allow collective defined contribution schemes to operate in the UK, among other things.
The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 became law on 28 February 2019 and will come into force on EU Exit Day.
The following regulations make technical amendments to employment law so that it continues to operate effectively on the day the UK leaves the EU.
The Government is to extend from one week to four weeks the period that breaks continuity of employment when assessing eligibility for statutory employment rights.
The Government is to introduce a new right for all workers to request a more predictable and stable contract.
The Government is to extend redundancy protection for six months from the date of a mother’s return to work. The reform will also cover those taking adoption and shared parental leave, helping to ensure new parents are protected from discrimination in the workplace.
The Government is to introduce legislation to ensure that tips left for workers go to them in full.
The Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 sets a “gender representation objective” for public authorities in Scotland when they make appointments to non-executive board positions.
This Order introduces a temporary zero rate of VAT on PPE used for protection against COVID-19.
From 6 April 2020 all agency workers must be given a key information document before agreeing terms with an employment business.
These draft regulations introduce a new entitlement for parents who are taking Parental Bereavement Leave and who meet the eligibility requirements to receive a statutory payment while absent from work.
These regulations amend the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 so that agency workers will no longer be able to opt out of their equal pay entitlements.
These regulations require employers to provide all workers with a written statement of employment particulars on the day employment begins (currently the statement has to be provided within eight weeks).
The Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 entitles parents who lose a child under the age of 18 to two weeks' paid leave.
The percentage of employees required for a valid request to set up information and consultation of employees (ICE) arrangements is to be reduced from 10% to 2%.
All statutory pay rates will increase in April 2020.
The National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage will increase with effect from 1 April 2020.
This Act introduces emergency powers to tackle the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. It gives powers and tools to the agencies and services involved in dealing with the virus including schools, hospitals and the police.
This instrument amends regulation 13 of the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR) to ensure that workers for whom it is not reasonably practicable to take holiday due to the coronavirus situation can carry their holiday into the following two leave years.
These regulations amend the Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020 in relation to the guidance with which a person self-isolating due to coronavirus needs to comply in order to claim Statutory Sick Pay.
These regulations provide that a person who is self-isolating in line with government guidance relating to coronavirus is deemed to be incapable of work, and therefore is entitled to Statutory Sick Pay.
These regulations provide that a person who is self-isolating in line with government guidance relating to coronavirus is deemed to be incapable of work, and therefore is entitled to Statutory Sick Pay.
An EU Decision has been published regarding an extension of the period before the UK leaves the EU.
This Act is somewhat unusual in that, rather than being put forward by the Government, it was proposed by MPs. It requires the Prime Minister to present her plan to request a delay to the Article 50 process, under which the UK is set to leave the European Union, in the form of an amendable motion and prevents her from suggesting any date before 22 May 2019.
The Government has announced increases in the weekly rates for statutory maternity pay and other types of statutory pay from April 2019.
The Employment Rights Act 1996 (Itemised Pay Statement) (Amendment) Order 2018 requires employers to provide additional information about the number of hours that are being paid for within the itemised pay statement (payslip) of employees for whom pay varies according to the number of hours worked.
The Employment Rights Act 1996 (Itemised Pay Statement) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2018 extends the right to receive an itemised pay statement (payslip), which previously only applied to employees, to all workers.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 6 April 2019 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2019.
On 6 April 2019 the minimum contribution employers are required to make to auto-enrolment pensions increases from 2% to 3%.
These regulations introduce three changes. The first change increases the maximum financial penalty available for aggravated breach of a worker’s employment rights from £5000 to £20,000, this came into force on 6 April 2019.
A clause in the Finance Act 2019 removes the requirement for employers to check receipts when using the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) benchmark scale rates to pay or reimburse their employees’ qualifying subsistence expenses.
The Government has accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommended increases to the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates.
These regulations introduce two new types of flexible working (known collectively as “flexible service”) for those serving in the regular Armed Forces (the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Army and the Royal Air Force).
These Regulations confirm that “exit day”, as used in previous legislation, now refers to either 12 April or 22 May 2019.
The Companies (Miscellaneous Reporting) Regulations 2018 introduce new reporting requirements in order to build confidence in the way that large private and quoted companies are run.
This Order amends the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) to grant unpaid time off work to four groups of volunteers in the criminal justice system who monitor conditions of those in custody.
These regulations come under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. Similar provisions are currently contained in the Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice) (Interception of Communications) Regulations 2000, which these new regulations will replace.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Act repeals the European Communities Act 1972 (under which EU laws have effect in the UK) on the day the UK leaves the EU.
The EU Trade Secrets Directive was adopted by the European Parliament and Council on 8 June 2016. Member States have two years from this date to implement the directive, ie by 9 June 2018.
The Data Protection Act 2018 aims to modernise data protection laws in the UK to make them fit for purpose for an increasingly digital economy and society.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force on 25 May 2018.
The General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679 EU) (GDPR) replaces the Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC).
The Employment Rights Act 1996 (NHS Recruitment — Protected Disclosure) Regulations 2018 prohibit an NHS employer from discriminating against an applicant because it appears that the applicant has made a protected disclosure.
Changes to the income tax and National Insurance treatment of payments in lieu of notice (PILONs) came into force on 6 April 2018.
The Scottish Parliament has set the following income tax rates and bands for 2018/19.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 6 April 2018 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2018.
On 6 April 2018 the minimum contribution employers are required to make to auto-enrolment pensions increases from 1% to 2%. A further increase to 3% will take place in April 2019.
From 6 April 2018, occupational pension schemes which offer money purchase benefits are required to provide an illustrative example of the cumulative effect of costs and charges incurred by a member.
The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2018 increases the weekly rates for statutory maternity pay and other types of pay from April 2018..
The Government plans to increase the state pension age.
The Government has accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommended increases to the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates.
These draft regulations restrict the circumstances in which a relevant public sector employer can make deductions from its workers’ wages in respect of trade union subscriptions (commonly referred to as “check-off”).
The Government has published guidance on when UK equality legislation and the National Minimum Wage (NMW) apply to seafarers.
These draft regulations introduce a cap on early exit charges for members in occupational pension schemes who are aged 55 or over and therefore eligible to access “pension freedoms”.
The Criminal Finances Act 2017 became law on 27 April. The Act introduces anti-money laundering measures and, significantly for employers, makes businesses liable for criminal acts committed by employees who facilitate or assist tax evasion by other individuals, eg customers.
These regulations bring into force the duty in the Childcare Act 2016 to secure 30 hours free childcare for working parents.
On 26 July 2017, the Supreme Court declared that employment tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal fees are unlawful, under both domestic and EU law and has quashed the Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal Fees Order 2013, on the basis that it prevents access to justice.
These regulations, which came into force on 19 December 2016, amend the Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003.
The draft provisions of the Finance Bill 2017 include changes that reform the off-payroll rules (often known as IR35) in the public sector.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 6 April 2017 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2017.
The Finance Act 2017 introduces changes that mean that benefits provided under “optional remuneration arrangements” no longer have the income tax and NICs advantages previously available under salary sacrifice arrangements.
These regulations require sponsoring employers who employ skilled migrant workers to pay a new immigration skills charge.
These regulations will apply to employers with more than 250 employees.
In response to reviews by the Migration Advisory Committee, the Home Office will introduce the following changes to the rules for skilled migrants coming to work in the UK.
The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 introduce an apprenticeship levy on large employers.
The Government has announced that statutory sick pay will increase from £88.45 to £89.35.
The Government has announced increases in the weekly rates for statutory maternity pay and other types of pay from 2 April 2017.
These regulations require certain prescribed persons to report annually on public interest disclosures (whistleblowing disclosures) that they receive from workers.
The Government is aligning the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) so that both increase in April from 2017 onwards.
These regulations are one of two statutory instruments that require employers to report on gender pay gaps in their organisations.
The Government has a target that the number of apprentices who start to work for a prescribed public body in England over the period 2017–2021 should be equal to 2.3% of its workforce.
The Bank of England Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority have introduced new rules for employment references for senior bankers and certain other roles in the financial sector.
These regulations bring into force the main provisions of the Trade Union Act 2016. The Act reforms the rules on trade union ballots for industrial action.
As part of the Trade Union Act 2016, the Government is introducing a new 40% important public services threshold. This means ballots for industrial action in key public services sectors will need the support of at least 40% of those entitled to vote. (This is in addition to the new 50% participation threshold, which will require a turnout of at least 50% in all trade union ballots for industrial action.)
The Trade Union Act 2016 makes changes to the Trade Union and Labour Relations Consolidation Act 1992 requiring new members to opt in if they wish to subscribe to the union’s political fund.
These regulations bring s.41 of the Enterprise Act 2016 into force on 1 February.
These commencement regulations bring into force various provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 in relation to employment.
These regulations provide for references to the 1992 Act to mean the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992; and provide for a review into electronic balloting.
New National Minimum Wage rates will apply from 1 October 2016.
Pension auto-enrolment: dates for contribution increases change.
These regulations bring many sections of the Immigration Act 2016 into force on 12 July 2016. The following sections are most relevant to employment.
The Immigration Act 2016 includes provisions to establish a statutory Director of Labour Market Enforcement. The Director will produce an annual strategy and set priorities for enforcement bodies across the labour market and across the whole spectrum of non-compliance.
The Immigration Act includes measures relating to employment.
These regulations amend the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 to prohibit employment agencies from generic recruitment advertising in another European Economic Area (EEA) country without also advertising the vacancy in Great Britain and in English.
This Act deals with a range of Government measures intended to support the growth of enterprise in the UK.
This Act amends the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation Act) Act 1992.
The Pensions Act 2014 abolishes contracting out for salary-related occupational pension schemes. It does so by repealing provisions of the Pensions Act 1993.
The Finance Bill 2016 amends the rules in the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (ITEPA) on deductions from earnings made for travel and subsistence expenses, where a worker is engaged through an employment intermediary.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 6 April 2016 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2016.
Rates for statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay, statutory shared parental pay and statutory adoption pay usually increase in April each year. This year the rates remain at the 2015/16 levels, that is £139.58 per week (or 90% of the person's average weekly earnings if that is less than £139.58).
To support the growth of high quality apprenticeships for young people, the Government has abolished employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for apprentices under the age of 25 engaged in government approved apprenticeship frameworks.
A new single-tier state pension was introduced by the Pensions Act 2014. The new pension is payable to people reaching state pension age on or after 6 April 2016.
The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, section 150, introduces financial penalties for employers where they fail to pay sums due to the employment tribunal.
These regulations replace the Occupational Pension Schemes (Schemes that were Contracted-out) Regulations 2015. The problem with the latter regulations, which were published on 16 July 2015, was that regulation 28 and part of regulation 32 were not made according to the correct Parliamentary procedure.
The Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 amend the Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure.
From April 2016 workers aged 25 and over receive the National Living Wage — a new premium on top of the National Minimum Wage that takes their pay to £7.20 per hour.
These regulations increase the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rate for adult workers aged 25 or over and rename this rate “The National Living Wage”. NMW rates for workers under 25 remain unchanged.
This Act creates a new single-tier state pension for people reaching pension age on or after 6 April 2016. A person entitled to the full state pension will receive a single weekly rate as set out in the regulations. This will replace the current state pension, which is made up of a basic and additional state pension.
These Regulations revoke and replace The European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007.
Zero-hours contracts that prohibit workers from working under another contract or arrangement were banned on 26 May 2015. The ban was brought in by amendments to the Employment Rights Act 1996 via the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.
The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 bans exclusivity terms in zero hours contracts.
These regulations require commercial organisations with a total turnover of at least £36 million to publish a slavery and human trafficking statement under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (“the 2015 Act”). They also set out how the total turnover of a commercial organisation is to be calculated.
New National Minimum Wage rates apply from 1 October 2015.
The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2015 bring into force various measures introduced in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.
Relating to employment law, this Act will make reforms to: whistleblowing; employment tribunals: failure to pay sums; employment tribunals: postponements; National Minimum Wage; exclusivity in zero-hours contracts; and public sector exit payments.
These regulations consolidate the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 (“the 1999 Regulations”), and subsequent amending regulations, to make the rules clearer and more workable for employers and employees. They do not introduce substantive changes to the rules.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 6 April 2015 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2015.
These regulations include a requirement for employers to pay for independent advice for their employees if they try to persuade them to move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution pension scheme. The requirement follows the trend, in recent years, for employers to encourage employees to move from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes in order to reduce the employer’s pension liabilities.
The Government’s proposals for introducing shared parental leave have been incorporated into the Children and Families Act 2014.
This Order makes minor amendments to the Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal Fees Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1893), which sets out the fees payable in employment tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Section 56 of the Data Protection Act 1998 came into force on 10 March 2015. From that date, employers who require applicants, employees or service providers to make subject access requests and disclose the results to them may risk prosecution. Subject access requests are commonly used to reveal details of any criminal convictions held by the requestor.
The Pension Schemes Act introduces a new category of private pension scheme: “shared risk pensions”. Currently, there are two types of workplace pension: defined benefit schemes (also known as final salary schemes) and defined contribution schemes. Shared risk pensions (also known as defined ambition pensions) are being introduced to make it easier to share risk between employers, individual members and third parties.
To support the growth of high quality apprenticeships for young people, this Act abolishes employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for apprentices under the age of 25. The NIC relief will apply to earnings up to the upper secondary threshold (£815 per week for 2015 to 2016).
Since the beginning of the 2013/14 academic year, all young people are required to continue in education or training until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17. From the summer of 2015 this will be extended until their 18th birthday.
Section 320C of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (inserted by section 12 of the Finance Act 2014) provides an exemption from income tax where an employer funds recommended medical treatment of up to £500 per employee per tax year where the recommendation is made to an employee as part of an occupational health service and is for the purpose of assisting the employee to return to work after a period of absence due to injury or ill-health. The Income Tax (Recommended Medical Treatment) Regulations 2014 set out additional requirements that a recommendation for medical treatment must meet in order for the tax exemption to apply.
This Act introduces changes in employment law and in relation to employment tribunals. Significant changes are itemised with greater detail both when in force and where forthcoming.
These regulations change the provisions on unpaid parental leave, extending the existing unpaid parental leave regime to parents of children aged between 5 and 18.
The Government has published thirteen sets of regulations that will bring the new shared parental leave and pay system into effect. The Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014 have been published in their final form, the rest of the regulations are currently in draft.
National Minimum Wage rates increase from 1 October 2014.
The Children and Families Act 2014 introduces a new right for an expectant father or the partner (including same sex) of a pregnant woman to take unpaid time off work to accompany the woman to up to two of her antenatal appointments. The time off is capped at six and a half hours for each appointment.
These Regulations introduce measures, set out in the Children and Families Act 2014, to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees and to replace the statutory procedure for considering requests with a duty to consider requests.
The Acas Early Conciliation rules came into force on 6 April 2014. Under transitional provisions early conciliation became compulsory on 5 May 2014.
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 amended the Employment Tribunals Act 1996 to introduce a requirement for prospective claimants to contact Acas before they are able to present a claim in the Employment Tribunal. Acas will then attempt to resolve the dispute in a process called early conciliation.
These regulations abolish the requirement, set out in the Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982 (S.I.1982/894), for employers to maintain records of employees relating to sickness absence and payment of SSP.
This Order sets out revised rates for the 2014/15 tax year for the automatic enrolment and re-enrolment earnings trigger and the qualifying earnings band.
This Order abolished the Statutory Sick Pay Percentage Threshold Order 1995 (SI 1995 No.512) and the Statutory Sick Pay Percentage Threshold Order (Northern Ireland) 1995 (SR 1995 No.69) from 6 April 2014.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 6 April 2014 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2014.
Penalties of between £100 and £5000 may be imposed on an employer found to have breached any of the worker’s rights to which the claim relates where the employer’s behaviour in committing the breach had one or more “aggravating features”, eg the breach was deliberate or repeated.
Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay and Additional Statutory Paternity Pay increased from a weekly rate of £136.78 to £138.18 on 6 April 2014
Under the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Order 2014 the weekly rate for Statutory Sick Pay increased from £86.70 to £87.55 from 6 April 2014.
This Order prescribes £20,000 as the maximum penalty that the Secretary of State may require an employer to pay for employing an illegal migrant worker.
The Government has abolished the statutory questionnaire procedure (s.138 of the Equality Act 2010) that helps people to assess whether the treatment they have received from their employers amounts to unlawful discrimination.
Women who work in an unpaid capacity in the business of a self-employed spouse or civil partner, and who give birth on or after 27 July 2014, will be eligible to receive a weekly maternity allowance.
For regulations that come into force after 31 March 2014, a new Small and Micro Business Assessment (SMBA) will extend the freeze to businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
Changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, introduced by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 came into effect on 10 March 2014.
These Regulations amend the figures, specified in the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, which are used to calculate financial penalties for underpayment of the National Minimum Wage.
Following its consultation on changes to the Transfer of Undertakings and Protection of Employment Regulations 2006 (TUPE 2006), the Government has amended TUPE 2006. The Collective Redundancies and Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (TUPE 2014) came into force on 31 January 2014. Changes to the Northern Ireland Regulation will be effective later in 2014.
The remission system ensures that access to justice is maintained for those people on lower incomes who would otherwise have difficulty paying a fee to use court or tribunal services. Such people can access court or tribunal services free of charge or at a reduced rate.
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 repeals in the Equality Act 2010 the provision which makes employers liable for repeated harassment of an employee by third parties over whom the employer does not have direct control, such as customers or clients.
A number of immigration changes came into force on 1 October 2013.
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) require the responsible person must to notify, and subsequently send a report to, the relevant enforcing authority by an approved means in relation to fatal and certain non-fatal work-related accidents, specified diseases contracted by persons at work and certain specified dangerous occurrences.
The sole purpose of this Order is to remove references to s.47 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 that are no longer required.
These regulations make revocations and amendments to legislation relating to first aid and docks using powers under the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974.
The National Minimum Wage rates that apply from 1 October 2013 are as follows.
The Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 amends the Employment Rights Act 1996 to create a new employee shareholder employment status.
This Order introduces fees for claims made to an employment tribunal and appeals made to the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Following its consultation on ending the employment relationship, the Government decided to introduce a 12 months’ pay cap on the compensatory award for unfair dismissal.
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 renames compromise agreements as settlement agreements and makes offers of settlement inadmissible in unfair dismissal cases.
The Government has introduced fees for employment tribunals from 29 July 2013.
These Regulations replace the Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) Regulations 2004.
The Agricultural Wages Board was abolished on 25 June 2013.
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 amends the Employment Rights Act 1996 to ensure that individuals only make whistleblowing claims on matters of public interest from 25 June 2013.
Under the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, proceedings before the Employment Appeal Tribunal are now heard by a judge alone since 25 June 2013.
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 amended the Employment Rights Act 1996 to remove the requirement for a qualifying period of service to bring an unfair dismissal claim where the reason for the dismissal was the political opinion or affiliations of the employee, from 25 June 2013. Normally, a two-year qualifying period is now needed to bring an unfair dismissal claim.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) introduced a new Update Service on 17 June 2013 that allows employers to carry out status checks on an individual’s DBS certificate, rather than having to apply for a certificate from scratch.
These Regulations amend the Companies Act 2006 to facilitate employee shareholder status.
Employers can now only ask potential employees to provide details of convictions and cautions that the employer is legally entitled to know. If an employer takes into account a conviction or caution that is not disclosed on the certificate, they are acting unlawfully under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
New benefit rates apply from April 2013.
This Order sets out revised rates for the 2013/14 tax year for the automatic enrolment and re-enrolment earnings trigger and the qualifying earnings band.
These Regulations amend the Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations (SI 2003/2682) (the 2003 Regulations) as necessary for the operation of HMRC’s Real Time Information programme (RTI) for the majority of employers from April 2013. For example, the amendments allow employers, in specific circumstances, to submit a return up to seven days after the payment is made to the employee. New reporting requirements have also been introduced.
The Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment and Application of Schedule 38 to the Finance Act 2012) Regulations 2013 is a combined Statutory Instrument, which amended the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001 No. 1004) (“the SSCR 2001”) and brought into force certain parts of Schedule 38 to the Finance Act 2012.
This withdraws legal aid for most employment claims in England and Wales.
The Welfare Reform Act 2012 outlines the changes proposed by the Government to ensure people in work are better off than the unemployed.
This Act withdraws legal aid funding for employment cases other than cases brought under the Equality Act 2010.
These regulations make two amendments to legislation in Great Britain in order to implement the Parental Leave Directive (2010/18/EU).
The increases to tribunal award limits from 1 February 2013 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2012.
On 1 December 2012, the CRB merged with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to become the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
From 2012, the Government proposes to provide access to a private pension to all employees aged between 22 and State retirement age, who are earning more than £5000 a year and are not currently enrolled in a workplace pension scheme.
The Government has introduced four statutory instruments setting out the practical arrangements employers must make to automatically enrol eligible jobholders into a pension scheme.
These regulations revoke the Smoke-free (Signs) Regulations 2007 and replace the detailed requirements for no smoking signs prescribed by those regulations with a requirement that at least one legible no-smoking sign must be displayed in smoke-free vehicles and smoke-free premises.
There have been changes to some National Minimum Wage rates since 1 October 2012
This Order brings into force the part of the Pensions Act 2008 relating to stakeholder pension schemes. The Pensions Act 2008 amends the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 which brought in the employer’s duty to designate stakeholder pensions.
The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 includes a wide range of measures including legislative changes that amend the Safeguarding and Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Police Act 1997 Regulations, on which the CRB (now DBS) checking service is based.
The Government has scaled back the criminal records and barring systems to ensure fair and proportionate regulation of those who want to work with vulnerable groups. The changes are included in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, which received Royal Assent in May 2012.
These Regulations set out the dates from which employers have a duty to arrange for jobholders to become active members of automatic enrolment pension schemes.
These amendment regulations amend the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Automatic Enrolment) Regulations 2010 with regard to:
This instrument sets out revised rates for the 2012/13 tax year for the automatic enrolment and re-enrolment earnings trigger and the qualifying earnings band. These rates were set initially in the Pensions Act 2008 with a requirement to review them every tax year.
These Regulations amend the Employers’ Duties (Implementation) Regulations 2010, the Employers’ Duties (Registration and Compliance) Regulations 2010 and the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Automatic Enrolment) Regulations 2010.
This Order increases from one year to two years the qualifying period of continuous employment needed to acquire the right not to be unfairly dismissed.
From 6 April 2012, contracting out of the additional State Pension on a defined contribution basis will be abolished.
This Order enables employment judges to sit alone when hearing unfair dismissal cases. It amends the Employment Tribunals Act 1996, which sets out the proceedings that may be heard by an employment judge without lay members.
From 6 October 2013, all employers are expected tell HMRC about PAYE payments and deductions (tax, NICs, Student Loan repayments, etc) at the time they pay their employees, rather than at the end of the year as happens now. This is known as real time information (RTI).
These Regulations make the following amendments to the Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) Regulations 2004
This Order corrects section 147 of the Equality Act 2010.
These Regulations prescribe the form of the apprenticeship agreement for England and Wales under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.
The Government has announced the new benefit rates that will apply from April 2012.
From April 2012, the Government intends to increase from £500 to £1000 the maximum deposit that an employment tribunal can order a party to pay as a condition of continuing with proceedings.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 1 February 2012 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2011.
The Localism Act 2011 requires local authorities and fire and rescue authorities to approve and publish annually at full council (for fire and rescue authorities, a meeting of members), a senior pay policy statement which authorities will be required to follow when setting senior pay.
These regulations provide for certain amounts that are chargeable to income tax to be treated as earnings for the purposes of National Insurance contributions (NICs).
The Temporary Agency Workers’ Directive was formally adopted on 19 November 2008. The measure ensures that agency workers are treated equally in the workplace with regard to working conditions and employment rights.
The Pensions Act 2011 introduces numerous changes, such as the increase of the State Pension Age to 66 for both men and women, the CPI, rather than RPI, is now used as the basis for statutory increases in occupational pension payments and payments from the Pension Protection Fund, and much more.
The national minimum wage (NMW) rules allow employers who provide accommodation for workers to count it as a benefit in kind towards payment of the NMW, up to a specified daily limit. Between January and April 2011 the Government consulted on whether to change the NMW rules on employer-provided accommodation in relation to students who work part-time for their educational institution.
The Government has announced that the National Minimum Wage rates will increase from 1 October 2011.
These regulations will give agency workers the right to equal treatment with permanent staff on pay, holidays and other basic conditions after 12 weeks in a job.
The Equality Duty consists of a general duty and specific duties. The general duty applies throughout Great Britain both to public bodies and to any other organisation when it is carrying out a public function. The specific duties only apply to public bodies and are designed to help them meet the general duty. Specific duties differ between England, Scotland and Wales. (The provisions of the Equality Act 2010 do not apply to Northern Ireland.)
These Regulations amend the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 to correct drafting errors in regulations 3, 10 and 14 and Schedule 2. The errors in the regulations concern the meaning of agency worker, the provisions concerning permanent contracts providing for pay between assignments, and the liability of the temporary work agency and hirer. The error in the Schedule is a numbering error.
The Government has published guidance to help commercial organisations understand the sorts of procedures they can put in place to prevent bribery.
This Order removes the restriction on the right to recover VAT incurred on the business entertainment of overseas customers.
The guidance explains what should be considered when deciding whether a person is a disabled person for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
The Government brought into force section 159 of the Equality Act 2010 in April 2011.
The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/729) implement the changes to the taxation of post-termination payments that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced at the end of 2010.
Under these Regulations, when a payment is made to a departed employee after his or her P45 has been produced (ie the payment is not included on the P45), tax at the full 20%, 40% or 50% rates must be deducted from the post-termination payment using the “0T” tax code.
From April 2011, pensions will rise each year by earnings, inflation or 2.5% — whichever is the higher.
This Order sets out the list of public bodies to which the general Equality Duty will apply.
The Equality Duty (set out in the Equality Act 2010) is a duty on public bodies and others carrying out public functions to embed equality considerations into their day-to-day work, so that they tackle discrimination and inequality and contribute to making society fairer.
These Regulations place a duty on employers to reduce the risk to their employees’ health from exposure to noise at work. Employers have to carry out an assessment of the risks from noise exposure and eliminate or, where not reasonably practicable, reduce the exposure to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.
The personal allowance for basic rate taxpayers aged 65 and under is to increase by £1000 in April 2011 to £7475.
Under the Equality Act 2010 and the Employment Rights Act 1996, dismissing a worker because he or she has reached retirement age does not constitute direct age discrimination and unfair dismissal. The Employment Equality (Repeal of Retirement Age Provisions) Regulations repeal and amend those Acts so that an employer will only be able to operate a compulsory retirement age where this can be objectively justified.
The June 2010 Budget announced that legislation would be introduced to tackle arrangements using trusts and other vehicles to reward employees that seek to avoid, defer or reduce tax liabilities.
Legislation on Additional Paternity Leave and Pay came into force in April 2010, in relation to children whose expected week of birth, or notification of being matched for adoption, begins on or after 3 April 2011.
From April 2011 statutory maternity pay (SMP), statutory adoption pay (SAP) and statutory paternity pay (SPP) will increase from a weekly rate of £124.88 to £128.73. The weekly rate for SSP will increase from £79.15 to £81.60.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 1 February 2011 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2010.
In response to a consultation held from February to May 2010, the Government has decided to amend National Minimum Wage Regulations to protect National Minimum Wage workers from potentially exploitative travel and subsistence schemes operated by employment businesses and umbrella companies.
In response to a consultation held from February to May 2010, the Government has decided that action should be taken to protect National Minimum Wage workers from potentially exploitative travel and subsistence schemes operated by Employment Businesses and umbrella companies.
The Equality Act 2010 (Commencement No.2) Order 2010 commences further provisions of the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 (Consequential Amendments, Saving and Supplementary Provisions) Order 2010 makes amendments to the Equality Act 2010 that arise as a consequence of the Equality Act 2010 (Commencement No.2) Order 2010.
These regulations supplement provisions in the Equality Act 2010 that provide protection from discrimination for disabled people.
The new rates of the National Minimum Wage came into force on 1 October 2010.
These Regulations increase the protection for work-seekers and reduce certain regulatory burdens on agencies.
The Equality Act 2010 imposes a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled persons to facilitate access to education, employment, housing, goods and services like shops, banks, cinemas, hospitals, council offices, leisure centres, associations and private clubs like the Scouts and Guides, private golf clubs and working men clubs.
The Equality Act 2010 requires occupational pension schemes to have a “sex equality rule” for the equal treatment of men and women. Under these regulations, certain rules, practices, actions and decisions relating to occupational pension schemes are excepted from this rule.
This Order allows exceptions from the non-discrimination rule in the Equality Act 2010 as it applies to the protected characteristic of age for certain rules, practices, actions and decisions relating to occupational pension schemes. The exceptions applying to age also relate to payments by the employer to personal pension schemes.
The Government is introducing five statutory instruments, under the Pensions Act 2008, to establish the National Employment Savings Trust pension scheme (NEST).
The Equality Act 2010 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2010 has been issued.
Under the Finance Act 2004, the “normal minimum pension age” will increase from 50 to 55 from 6 April 2010. The normal minimum pension age is the age at which people can start receiving money from their occupational or personal pension schemes without paying extra tax.
These Regulations introduce a new entitlement for employees who are fathers or partners of mothers or adopters (of either sex) to take additional paternity leave in the first year of their child’s life or the first year after the child’s placement for adoption. The provisions have effect in relation to children whose expected week of birth, or notification of being matched for adoption, begins on or after 3 April 2011. However, employees are protected against detriment or dismissal attributable to the fact they took or sought to take such leave from 6 April 2010.
These Regulations set out how employers can reclaim the additional statutory paternity pay they give their employees. The Regulations also establish employers’ duties with regard to record keeping and informing employees when employees are not entitled to the pay.
These Regulations introduce a new entitlement for employees who are fathers or who are the partners of mothers or adopters to receive additional statutory paternity pay from their employers. The Regulations apply to children born or matched for adoption on or after 3 April 2011.
These Regulations specify that the lower earnings limit for Class 1 National Insurance contributions will increase from £95 to £97 on 6 April 2010.
These regulations set the weekly rate of payment of additional statutory paternity pay at the smaller of £124.88 and 90% of the employee’s normal weekly earnings.
These Regulations change the format and content of medical statements so they provide information that might help a patient return to work sooner.
The Pensions Act 2007 contains powers to restore the link between the Basic State Pension and earnings, raise the State Pension Age to 68 by 2046 and aims to make the system fairer for women and carers by 2010.
These Regulations are being introduced to protect claimants who enter damages-based agreements relating to employment matters (such as those with no-win-no-fee lawyers).
These Regulations relate to an employee’s right to request to spend time undertaking study or training. They say that the request must: be in writing, be dated and state the last date (if any) when the employee made a request and how it was submitted.
These Regulations relate to the employee’s right to request to spend time undertaking study or training. They set out how an employer must deal with such requests.
These Regulations relate to an employee’s right to request to spend time undertaking study or training.
New rates for Statutory maternity pay (SMP), statutory adoption pay (SAP) and statutory paternity pay (SPP) come into effect on Sunday 4 April 2010.
These regulations prohibit the compilation, use, sale or supply of blacklists containing details of trade union members and activists whose purpose is to discriminate against workers on grounds of trade union membership or activities.
This Order sets out the increases in awards of compensation that can be ordered by an employment tribunal with effect from 1 February 2010.
The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/1567) amended the Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833) so that certain doctors in training can work up to 52 hours a week until 31 July 2011. Most doctors are restricted to a 48-hour week from 1 August 2009 (see Working Time Amendment Regulations 2003).
These regulations extend the purposes for which an application for an enhanced criminal records certificate can be made. Since 12 October 2009 applications can be made for any activity that is a “regulated activity” under the Vetting and Barring Scheme, established by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 has been amended in preparation for the commencement of registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) in July 2010. The amendments have been made in response to recommendations by Sir Roger Singleton in Drawing the Line, his report on the Vetting and Barring Scheme which was published in December 2009. The changes affect who is covered by the Scheme.
In the 2009 Budget, delivered on 22 April, the Government announced a one-off increase in the level of statutory redundancy pay, making the weekly rate £380 instead of £350 (as it had been from 1 February). This will make the maximum amount of statutory redundancy pay (20 years x 1.5 weeks x £380) £11,400.
The National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 (Amendment) Regulations 2009 increase the minimum hourly rate of the national minimum wage from £5.73 to £5.80 per hour and the development rate from £4.77 to £4.83 per hour from 1 October 2009.
These regulations increase the weekly amount a person can earn while still being entitled to employment and support allowance, incapacity benefit and other benefits.
The Accession (Immigration and Worker Registration) Regulations 2004 set up the workers registration system (WRS) regulating access to the UK labour market by nationals from eight of the States (“the A8”) that acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004.
The Gangmasters (Licensing Conditions) Rules 2009 have been issued.
From 6 April, employers have been required to use the new style P45 form. It was initially introduced by HM Revenue and Customs in October 2008 and was therefore already available before this date. Any old style P45 forms are now invalid.
This Order adds holiday pay to the list of jurisdictions normally heard by an employment judge sitting alone.
The Employment Act 2008 (Commencement No. 2, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2009 brings into force the remaining provisions of the Act including ss 8, 9, 11,12, 19 and Parts 2 and 4 of the Schedule.
Statutory Sick pay has been increased from £75.40 to £79.15 on 6 April 2009.
The right to request flexible working has been extended to parents with children aged 16 and under.
The Employment Code of Practice (Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures) Order 2009 has been issued.
These Regulations amend the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations 1989, which require information relating to health, safety and welfare to be given to employees by means of posters or leaflets in the form approved by the Health and Safety Executive.
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 came into force on 6 April 2009 to take account of the changes made by the Employment Act 2008.
The Employment Act 2008, s 19 changes the expulsion and exclusion rules relating to trade union membership by amending ss 174 and 176 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Statutory Maternity, Paternity and Adoption pay has increased from £117.18 to £123.06 on 5 April 2009.
Under new regulations that came into force on 1 April 2009, employers cannot hire tier 2 migrant workers unless the role has been advertised for a minimum of two weeks on JobCentre Plus.
From March 2009 adults wishing to study in the UK must apply for a Tier 4 Student Visa. The tier 4 Student Visa replaces the current UK Study Visa and allows an adult student to study in the UK with a licensed sponsor on the Tier 4 register of sponsors.
Employers should be aware that new yearly checking procedures apply to migrant workers employed on or after 29 February 2008 and that the first follow-up checks must have been carried out at the end of February 2009 where the migrant worker was employed at the end of February 2008.
The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2008 sets out the new limits for statutory redundancy payments and employment tribunal awards from 1 February 2009.
The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 increases the maximum penalties relating to certain health and safety offences by amending section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974.
The Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2008 came into force on 22 December 2008 and give full effect to the principle of equal treatment between persons, irrespective of race or ethnic origin within the area of employment (and other areas).
These Regulations concern eligibility to hold office as either a President of the employment tribunals in England and Wales and in Scotland or as a chairman of an employment tribunal in England and Wales and in Scotland. They reduce the qualifying period for eligibility for appointment from seven to five years.
Tier 2 of the new points-based immigration system, relating to the recruitment of skilled workers, came into force on 27 November 2008.
Tier 5 of the new points-based immigration system concerns temporary workers and those coming to the UK under youth mobility schemes.
The Energy Act sets out a range of measures to address the challenges of tackling climate change and securing energy supplies.
Under these regulations, since 27 October 2008 employers have no longer been required to provide detailed information about statutory sick pay (SSP) to leavers or when SSP cannot be paid. The Regulations aim to reduce costs for business, charities and the voluntary sector.
These amendment regulations enable agency workers with contracts of three months or less to have the same access to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) as other workers.
These Regulations, made under the Welfare Reform Act 2007, introduce a new benefit, employment and support allowance (“ESA”), for claimants assessed as having “limited capability for work” because of a health condition or disability. ESA will replace Incapacity Benefit, and Income Support on the basis of incapacity.
These regulations came into force in July 2008 and apply to employees whose expected week of childbirth begins on or after 5 October 2008 and employees whose child is expected to be placed with them for adoption after that date.
These Regulations make amendments to provisions about the calculation and verification of transfer values (the amount that may be transferred from one pension scheme to another).
The National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 (Amendment) Regulations 2008 increase the minimum hourly rate of the national minimum wage from £5.52 to £5.73 per hour and the development rate from £4.60 to £4.77 per hour from 1 October 2008.
These Regulations amend the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998.
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was published on 1 March 2006 and received Royal Assent on 8 November 2006.
The Employment Bill received Royal Assent on 13 November and is now the Employment Act 2008.
The Independent Safeguarding Authority is being established to prevent those who are deemed unsuitable from working or volunteering with children and vulnerable people.
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Transitional Provisions) Order 2008 requires the Independent Barring Board (now the Independent Safeguarding Authority) to include those subject to existing restrictions in the new barred lists.
This Order, made under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, makes transitional provision in relation to those subject to existing restrictions relating to working with children or vulnerable adults.
These Rules amend the Gangmasters (Licensing Conditions) (No.2) Rules 2006 which established the procedure for licensing gangmasters covered by the provisions of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 and the conditions that will apply to the licences.
These draft regulations amend the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003.
These Regulations amend the Disability Discrimination (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Regulations 2005.
These Regulations amend existing legislation governing an employer’s liability to a defined benefit pension scheme when it severs its link with the scheme.
The Act creates an offence of corporate manslaughter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and corporate homicide in Scotland.
Under the provisions of this Order, the rates of Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay, increase to £117.18 per week (or 90% of the person’s average weekly earnings if that is less than £117.18) on 6 April 2008.
These regulations make minor amendments to the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.
Amendments that affect pregnancy and maternity leave will come into force through the Maternity and Parental Leave etc Regulations 1999 and will apply to women whose babies are due on or after 5 October 2008.
These Regulations set out provisions relating to benefits, membership and contributions in the new Local Government Pension Scheme which will come into existence on 1 April 2008 and replace the Local Government Pension Scheme 1997.
These Regulations set out transitional provisions relating to members of the Local Government Pension Scheme 1997, which is to be replaced by the new Local Government Pension Scheme from 1 April 2008.
These Regulations amend the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (General Levy) Regulations 2005.
This draft Order sets the cap on annual compensation payable to a person who has lost their pension and is covered by the Pension Protection Fund.
These Regulations amend the Occupational Pension Schemes (Levies) Regulations 2005.
The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act, which was unveiled as a Bill on 22 June 2005 and enacted on 30 March 2006, will tackle illegal working through a new civil penalties scheme for employers by introducing fines of up to £10,000 per illegal employee, custodial sentences of up to two years and unlimited fines for those found knowingly to use or exploit illegal workers.
This Order specifies the maximum penalty which may be imposed by the Secretary of State under section 15(2) of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.
This Order was made under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.
The increases to tribunal award limits from 1 February 2008 are set out in the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2007.
The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2007 brings into force those provisions of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 that create a new title of Employment Judge.
The Childcare Act, which sets out new provisions for young children’s care and education came into force in April 2007.
These regulations amend the Flexible Working (Eligibility, Complaints and Remedies) Regulations 2002 in respect of the categories of person entitled to make a request under the statutory right for employees to request a contract variation to care for a child or an adult. The right is provided for in the Employment Rights Act 1996 as amended by the Work and Families Act 2006.
These regulations increase the statutory minimum for paid holiday entitlement.
The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2007 amend the Working Time Regulations 1998.
The Welfare Reform Bill received Royal Assent on 3 May 2007 and builds on the Welfare Reform Green Paper and consultation “A new deal for welfare: Empowering people to work”.
These Regulations, which apply only to England, provide exemptions from the smoke-free requirements of the Health Act 2006 and provide for most public and work vehicles to be smoke-free under that Act.
These Regulations are made under the Health Act 2006 and contain requirements which relate to the display of no-smoking signs in smoke-free premises and vehicles in England.
The Health Act 2006 includes a requirement that all enclosed public places and workplaces will become smoke-free in England and Wales.
These Regulations, made under the Health Act 2006 relate to smoke-free places (premises and vehicles) in England.
This Order imposes specific gender equality duties on the Scottish public bodies and authorities listed in the Schedule to the Order.
Summary
The Work and Families Bill received Royal Assent on 21 June 2006 and the Work and Families Act 2006 will deliver commitments outlined in the Ten Year Childcare Strategy and set out in the Government's response to the consultation “Work and Families: Choice and Flexibility” that closed on 25 May 2005.
These regulations make various amendments to legislation so that it complies with the age strand of Directive 2000/78 EC establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and vocational training. They include the following changes:
This Order imposes specific gender equality duties on public authorities listed in the Schedule to the Order.
The Equality Act 2006 came into force in April 2007.
These regulations amend the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2006 to allow Bulgarian and Romanian students to work full time during their vacations or as part of their vocational training and for four months after the completion of their studies without the need for authorisation.
The regulations bring into force the Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006. This act provides a new protection to emergency workers, making it a specific offence to obstruct or hinder emergency workers such as firefighters.
The Disability Discrimination Act 2005, which will amend the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, comes into force in stages between 5 December 2005 and 4 December 2006.
The Disability Discrimination Code of Practice (Goods, Facilities, Services and Premises) (Revocation) Order 2006 have been issued.
The Employment Equality (Age) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2006 set out how occupational pension schemes must comply with the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006. These amendments bring into force more exemptions for employers and trustees of pension schemes to rely on in Schedule 2 of the regulations. From 1 December 2006, every occupational pension scheme will be treated as if it has a non-discrimination rule.
These regulations amend the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000 No. 1059) including the clarification and updating of certain references.
The National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 (Amendment) Regulations 2006 increase the minimum hourly rate of the national minimum wage from £5.05 to £5.35 per hour and the development rate from £4.25 to £4.45 per hour from 1 October 2006.
These regulations amend provisions relating to adoption leave in the current Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations and arise from the Work and Families Act 2006.
The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 mirror the introduction of these regulations in Great Britain and are necessary to implement the age strand of the EU Employment Framework Directive (2000/78/EC) in Northern Ireland.
These regulations, effective from 1 October 2006, arise from the Work and Families Act 2006 and amend the Flexible Working (Eligibility, Complaints and Remedies) Regulations 2002 to extend the right to request flexible working to carers of adults from 6 April 2007.
The Order reforms the law relating to fire safety in non-domestic premises in England and Wales.
The Statutory Maternity Pay, Social Security (Maternity Allowance) and Social Security (Overlapping Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 have been issued.
This Order replicates measures in the Work and Families Act 2006. It covers statutory rights to leave and pay in connection with the birth or adoption of children, and the right for carers to request flexible working.
The Disability Discrimination (Guidance on the Definition of Disability) Revocation Order 2006 has been issued.
The Disability Discrimination (Guidance on the Definition of Disability) Appointed Day Order 2006 has been issued.
This Order appoints 18 April 2006 as the coming into effect of the supplement to the Code of Practice on the duties under Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 entitled “Provision and Use of Transport Vehicles”, which was issued by the Disability Rights Commission on 11 April 2006.
Under ss. 269 and 284 of the Pensions Act 2004, payments made by employers and members to occupational pension schemes, and restrictions on commutation and age at which benefits may be received came into force on 6 April 2006 under the Pensions Act 2004 (Commencement No. 6, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2005.
The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2006 came into force on 6 April 2006.
The DTI published a consultation document, containing draft revised regulations, on the proposed revision of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE). Consultation closed on 7 June 2005. The revised TUPE regulations — the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 — were due to come into force on 1 October 2005 but due to the large volume of responses to the consultation exercise, the regulations came into force on 6 April 2006.
The Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill received Royal Assent on 5 August 2005 and the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 came into force on 26 March 2006.
These Regulations amend the sound power limits for certain equipment in the Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for Use Outdoors Regulations 2001.
These Regulations implement Directive 2001/95/EC on general product safety. They impose requirements concerning the safety of products intended for consumers or which are likely to be used by consumers.
Summary
This Order amends the Pension Schemes Act 1993 and subordinate legislation, making provision for surviving civil partners to receive pensions under contracted-out occupational and appropriate personal pension schemes — tying in with the Civil Partnership Act 2004.
This Order makes amendments to provisions of Acts relating to pensions and benefit payments, extending those provisions to civil partners and surviving civil partners — tying in with the forthcoming Civil Partnership Act 2004.
The Civil Partnership Bill received Royal Assent on 18 November 2004 with implementation of the Civil Partnership Act on 5 December 2005.
These regulations were revoked by the Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2012.
The Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 have been issued.
Measures contained in the Act came into force in 2004 and its implementation was completed on 1 October 2005.
This legislation amends the Employment Appeal Tribunal Rules 1993 to implement the Employment Relations Act 2004, s.36, which, by amending the Employment Tribunals Act 1996, section 10(6), provides that certain powers available to employment tribunals under employment tribunal procedure regulations for use in national security proceedings can be used in particular proceedings, whether or not they are Crown employment proceedings, if the tribunal considers it expedient in the interests of national security. The Rules also replace Form 1 (Notice of Appeal from Employment Tribunal) with a new version and make amendments to Form 3 (Respondent's Answer).
This Order amends the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 1999 by making changes to the list of prescribed persons to whom a protected disclosure can be made.
The Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 are effective from 1 October 2005 and amend the Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) Regulations 2004 (as amended by the Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 and the Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure (Amendment) Regulations 2005).
The new tribunal claim form (ET1) and response form (ET3) are mandatory for all tribunal claims and responses from 1 October 2005. The final versions of the forms are available from the Employment Tribunals website.
The Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations 2005 implement the amended Equal Treatment Directive (2002/73/EC) and are effective from 1 October 2005.
This order amends the application of the Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833) to the police in consequence of the coming into force of section 158 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (the 2005 Act).
The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2005 has been issued.
These regulations have been revoked by the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 483).
The Regulations amend the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 (Application to Environmentally Hazardous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 ("the 2002 Regulations").
This Order provides for the coming into force of s.49 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
These regulations set out requirements for the management of risks from working at height.
Under the Transfer of Employment (Pension Protection) Regulations 2005, new employers will be required to provide transferred employees with a substantial pension contribution in a business transfer where the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) apply.
These regulations implement Directive 2002/15/EC on the working time of persons performing mobile road transport services. Their main effect is to restrict mobile workers, notably drivers of commercial goods and passenger vehicles, to an average working week of 48 hours and an absolute average of 60 hours.
The new working time regulations for the road transport sector are scheduled came into force on 4 April 2005.
This Order brings into force various provisions of the Act.
These Regulations amend the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 1997 with effect from 1 April 2005. The main changes are as follows.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 was passed by parliament on 30 November 2000 and has been implemented in stages. Full implementation occurred on 1 January 2005. The Act gives individuals the right to access information held by public authorities, including:
Statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures came into force on 1 October 2004 with the aim of encouraging resolution of disputes in the workplace. All employers should have in place minimum statutory procedures for dealing with dismissal, disciplinary action and grievances in the workplace, and inform their employees. The procedures will also apply to certain redundancy and retirement situations and non-renewal of fixed term contracts.
These regulations came into force on 6 April 2004 and replace the previous regulations governing employment agencies. They introduce new safeguards requiring employment agencies to vet temps who work with vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly and the infirm.
These Regulations make various amendments to the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 1997 with effect from 1 April 2004, with the exception of regulations 27 to 32 (changes to the dispute resolution procedures), which took effect from 1 June 2004. The main changes are as follows.
The Council Directive establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation (or the Framework Employment Directive) laid down a general framework for combating discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation as regards employment and occupation, with a view to putting into effect the principle of equal treatment in the Member States.
The original Working Time Directive 93/104/EC was amended by Directive 2000/34/EC and the two were then consolidated and replaced by Directive 2003/88/EC.
A companion to Directive 2000/78, which covered wider issues of discrimination, the Council Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (or the Race Directive), dealt solely with race and ethnic origin. It prohibited discrimination in the areas of vocational training and employment, social protection and access to and provision of services.
These regulations introduced the following key changes from 19 July 2003: compensation may be backdated to cover six years instead of only two, and the time limit for bringing a claim is extended to six months from the date of discovery if the employer deliberately concealed facts.
The Burden of Proof Directive, which was adopted on 15 December 1997, was extended to the UK in 1998 (Directive 98/52). It was finally implemented by the Sex Discrimination (Indirect Discrimination and Burden of Proof) Regulations 2001.
In light of a number of rulings given by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) concerning the original Acquired Rights Directive (and its amendment, 98/50/EC), the legal concepts were clarified by 2001/23/EC which gave the authoritative definition of a transfer of undertaking as being when “there is a transfer of an economic entity which retains its identity, meaning an organised grouping of resources which has the objective of pursuing an economic activity, whether or not that activity is central or ancillary”.
The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 came into force in April 2001. Its main functions are to:
The Human Rights Act 1998 received Royal Assent in 1998 and came into force on 2 October 2000. Since coming into force, the Human Rights Act has made fundamental civil and political rights and freedoms enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) enforceable in the UK's courts.
This Act has been replaced by the Data Protection Act 2018.
These regulations impose safety requirements with respect to pressure systems used or intended to be used at work. They also impose safety requirements to prevent certain vessels from becoming pressurised.
Directive 97/23/EC (known as the Pressure Equipment Directive or PED) entered fully into force in the UK on 29 November 1999.
The Collective Redundancies and Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 (which replace the 1995 regulations of the same name) came into force on 28 July 1999.
The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 came into force on 1 April 1999. It provides for a single national minimum wage (NMW). It covers all workers employed under a contract, including part timers, contract workers and home workers.
These Regulations impose health and safety requirements with respect to lifting equipment.
These Regulations impose health and safety requirements with respect to the provision and use of work equipment.
These Regulations give employees rights over their maximum working time, the length of night work, rest breaks and annual leave entitlements.
The Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 (Chapter 8) came into force in stages throughout 1998 and 1999 in the main. The Unfair Dismissal Arbitration scheme provision came into force in May 2001.
These regulations draw a line between the responsibilities of the HSE and the local authorities for enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974.
These regulations provide for the preparation and acceptance of safety cases in respect of the conveyance of gas in a network and impose requirements in respect of gas escapes and the composition and pressure of gas.
These regulations provide for further implementation, within Great Britain, of Council Directive 89/391/EEC (the “Framework Directive”) on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the health and safety of employees at work.
The Employment Rights Act 1996, which came into force on 22 August 1996, consolidated most of the existing law on individual employment rights. Most of these rights were previously contained in the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 which had been much amended by subsequent Acts.
The Council Directive on the protection of young people at work applied to all young people with an employment contract or in an employment relationship defined by national law in force.
This directive — Council Directive on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding (10th individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) — laid down that exposure of such workers to certain risks must be avoided by provisionally adjusting their working conditions or hours.
The Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to collective redundancies (or the Collective Redundancies Directive) required that any employer contemplating collective redundancies must hold consultations with workers' representatives with a view to reaching an agreement. These consultations had to at least cover ways and means of avoiding redundancies or reducing the number of workers affected and mitigating the consequences, in particular by recourse to accompanying social measures aimed at redeploying or retraining those workers made redundant.
This Directive (the Council Directive concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for the workplace (first individual directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)) defined the term "workplace" to mean the place which houses workstations and any other place within the area of the undertaking to which the worker has access in the course of his or her employment.
Within the context of this directive — the Council Directive on the minimum health and safety requirements for the manual handling of loads where there is a risk particularly of back injury to workers (fourth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC — manual handling of loads referred to the transporting or supporting of a load, by one or more workers, including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling or carrying an object which involved a risk of back injury.
These regulations make provisions for controlling the acquisition and keeping of explosives. With some specified exceptions, the acquisition or keeping of explosives except in accordance with an explosives certificate is prohibited. Explosives certificates are issued by the chief officers of police, if satisfied as to the fitness of the applicant and the other matters specified in the regulations. The transfer of explosives is restricted and the handling, etc of explosives by, and related employment of, prohibited persons is precluded. The descriptions and quantities of explosives that may be kept for private use are limited. Occupiers of a factory or magazine licensed under the Explosives Act 1875 are required to appoint an individual to be responsible to them for security. Further information from the Stationery Office.
These Regulations give the protection for and duties of employees provided with “relevant training” for work.
Statutory powers to control pesticides are contained within Part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (FEPA). The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (COPR), as amended, set out the mechanism by which the requirements of the FEPA are to be achieved. The COPR define, in detail, those types of pesticides that are subject to control and those that are excluded; prescribe the approvals required before any pesticide may be sold, stored, supplied, used or advertised and allow for general conditions of sale, supply, storage, advertisement and use, including aerial application, of pesticides.
The law relating to transfers of undertakings stems from a 1977 European Directive (77/187/EEC) that was designed to safeguard employees’ rights when businesses (or parts of businesses) are taken over. The directive was implemented in the UK by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE).
Under the Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women (or the Equal Pay Directive), Member States were required to abolish all discrimination between men and women arising from laws or regulations which did not comply with the principle of equal pay. They had to take the necessary measures to ensure that provisions appearing in collective agreements, wage scales, wage agreements or individual contracts of employment which were contrary to the principle might be declared null and void. They had also to ensure that the principle was applied and that effective means were available to take care that it was observed.