Update on the changes to Parental Leave

Shared Parental Leave will shortly come into operation in the UK, and will have an impact on employees who are due to have children or adopt from 5th April 2015.

If you have members of staff that are planning on starting a family, or are thinking about doing so in the not-too-distant future, it’s likely that you’ll receive questions about how this will work on a really practical basis. Here’s exactly what you need to know about the changes and the implications for your business.

What exactly do these changes mean?

When Shared Parental Leave comes into force, parents will have the right to split statutory leave between themselves as they choose. It’s a brand new rule that is likely to be confusing for most employers, so it pays to take a little time to consider exactly what it means.

New guidance published for employers on the Fit for Work Scheme

If you started your own business, that’s probably because you’re passionate about bringing your product or service into the world, and providing a much-needed solution for your customers and clients. Perhaps this people management stuff though isn’t necessarily what you signed up for. Call it a necessary evil if you like, but the fact remains

Introduction   A recent survey carried out by Nationwide Building Society discovered that nearly 1 in 4 holidaymakers return from their break feeling more stressed than when they left. The responses indicated that whilst most of us think of a summer holiday as a time to relax and recuperate, the realities of taking some time

Employment law update: The National Living Wage A compulsory National Living Wage is due to be introduced on 1st April 2016 for all working people aged 25 and over, and will be set at £7.20 per hour. The current National Minimum Wage for those under the age of 25 will continue to apply. National Minimum

Shared parental leave and pay scheme to be extended to working grandparents The Government has announced that it is planning to extend the current scheme of shared parental leave and pay to include working grandparents by 2018.  A consultation is expected to be launched on the details of the extension in the first half of

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October 2015 proposes tougher sanctions for employing illegal workers. A new Immigration Bill will contain a range of new powers to deter people from trying to find work here illegally and measures to deal more effectively with the businesses who offer them employment. This will include powers to close down for up to 48 hours,

You Have Less Than a Year To Prepare For Mandatory Living Wage

The UK government has announced that from April 2016, a mandatory living wage for employees over the age of 25 will be introduced. It currently stands at £6.50 and will be increased to £7.20.

Conservative First Secretary of State George Osborne said, ‘Britain deserves a pay rise and Britain is getting a pay rise’.

Of course though, the issue is one that’s very likely to be causing concern amongst employers. Though most reputable businesses will welcome the changes, it’s understandable that leaders will be concerned about the impact that the new legislation could have on their bottom line. Fears have no doubt already begun to surface around the possibility of having to lose members of staff.