Keeping abreast of developments in Employment Law has never been easy, but at present there are a number of significant changes, and proposals for change, that could impact on your business.
This article is intended to provide a flavour of some of the key changes on the horizon.
What’s the latest on the Agricultural Wages Order?
The Public Bodies Act to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board (the body that decides on the Agricultural Wages Order each year) became a piece of legislation following Royal Assent on 14 December 2011. The government’s initial timescale suggested this stage should have been reached sooner, so a further Agricultural Wages Order is now expected in 2012. This is to allow time for consultation on precisely how abolition is to be effected, as well as further detailed legislation to bring abolition about. Nevertheless, we are one step further along the road to abolition so watch this space!
Do I need to provide my staff with a pension scheme?
Employers with fewer than five employees are exempt from providing access to a pension scheme. At present if an employer is required to offer access to a stakeholder pension scheme they are not currently obliged to contribute to it and employees specifically need to opt into it. However, this is to change. In future, all employers will have to automatically enrol employees who have three months service into a contributory pension scheme under which the employer must contribute 3%. This change will start to take effect on 1 October 2012 but will be rolled out gradually between this date and 2017. Smaller business will be the last to be effected.
How long does someone have to work for me before they can legally claim unfair dismissal?
Following the reduction in 1999 from two years of service to one year of service for claiming ordinary Unfair Dismissal, it looks like the law will, from 6 April 2012, revert back to requiring a worker to have two years of service. This will be a positive change for employers, although they still need to be aware of other types of claim including Automatically Unfair Dismissal and Discrimination which are not necessarily precluded by length of service requirements.
Are there any other employment law decisions being made that could affect me?
Via various consultation exercises, including a ‘Red Tape Challenge’, the government has been looking at how to simplify employment law to make things easier for businesses. Some of the most interesting proposals on the table as a result of this include:
- Making dismissal procedures simpler and less onerous for businesses with less than ten employees
- Introducing fees for employees to bring employment tribunal claims.
- Consulting on the introduction of ‘protected conversations’ so employers can openly discuss issues with an employee without the employee being able to use such discussions against the employer if they make a tribunal claim.
The NFU Employment Service
You know how much of a challenge it can be as an employer; employment legislation is constantly changing and you know that keeping up to date with such changes is no easy task.
The NFU Employment Service was developed over 10 years ago specifically to meet the needs of all of our members and support them to be compliant with employment law.
We offer a helpline that gives straightforward access to our team of employment law specialists; teaming the helpline with a comprehensive manual, draft documents, a document checking service and regular updates. NFU Employment Service members have access to a raft of resources designed to help them get on top of their documentation, policies and procedures.
It is our aim to keep you informed when it comes to employment law, giving you the information and advice to effectively deal with employment issues and the peace of mind that you have expert support at your fingertips.
As an farmer and grower member you can take advantage of a discount of up to 20 per cent to become a NFU Employment Service member!
For information on the service or any of the packages available simply click here or call us on 0870 840 0234.
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