UK: Upcoming legislative changes: Time to update staff handbooks

Employers will need to review and update their policies and processes to ensure that they comply with these upcoming employment law reforms:

– From April 2024

• Holiday entitlement and pay – New holiday entitlement and pay rules for irregular hours and part-year workers, for leave years beginning from 1 April 2024.
• Carer’s leave – New statutory entitlement to one week’s unpaid leave each year for employees, who have a dependent with a long-term care needs.

 

– 6 April 2024:

• Paternity leave – Under the new rules, that apply to babies expected to be born after 6 April 2024 and children expected to be placed for adoption from 6 April 2024, new parents can take statutory paternity leave at any stage in the first year and can split their leave into two separate blocks of one week.
• Flexible working – The right to request flexible working will be a day-one right, and enhancements to an employee’s right to request flexible working are being introduced (see below “Flexible working requests and Remote/ Hybrid working”).
• Greater redundancy protection – The current protection (that during the maternity leave period, employees must be offered a suitable alternative vacancy, where one exists) is being extended to include pregnant women (from when the employee informs their employer they are expecting a baby) and new parents (until 18 months after the birth).

 

– From July 2024:

• TUPE – New TUPE consultation rules for smaller organisations (50 or fewer employees) and smaller transfers, for transfers taking place from 1 July 2024.

 

– From September 2024:

• Requesting predictable working pattern – New statutory right for workers and agency workers to request a predictable working pattern.

 

– From October 2024:

• Sexual harassment – New duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has confirmed that the Sexual harassment and harassment at work: technical guidance and the Employment: Code of Practice will be updated to accompany the new legislation.

Key Action Points for Human Resources and In-House Counsel

Look out for developments relating to neonatal care leave and pay, for parents of babies who require specialist neonatal care, which is expected to come into effect in April 2025.

Clyde & Co can assist you with reviewing and updating your policies and processes to ensure compliance with these reforms – please speak to your usual Clyde & Co contact or a member of the employment team.