To meet the Company/Organisation outcomes, every workplace deserves to have an HR-compliant environment. A positive atmosphere built amongst positive relationships between business employees helps drive success. A crucial way to achieve this is by following employment law.
If you work as part of, or alongside, any HR team, you’ll most likely be aware of some employment laws in the UK. Whether you’re an employee or an employer, these laws apply to you! They encapsulate your rights as an employee, and it’s important to know what they are and how they work.
Luckily for you, we’ve created our ultimate guide about the key things you need to know about HR employment law.
What is employment law?
Employment law is part of UK legislation. It regulates the relationship between employers and employees, maintaining control of what employers expect from their employees, what they can ask them to do, and what their rights are at work.
What are the main employment laws in the UK?
Employment laws regulate the relationship between businesses and their employees. These laws cover a wide range of rights, including employment contracts, the hiring and dismissal process, maternity and paternity leave, and redundancy.
Some of the UK’s employment laws include:
- The Employment Rights Act 1996 includes a wide range of acts relating to terms and conditions of employment and general rights, such as unfair dismissal, redundancy payments, and zero-hour contracts.
- The Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination in the workplace and at all stages of hiring or dismissal regarding age, sexual orientation, race etc.
- The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 establishes the minimum pay a worker is entitled to per hour of work.
- Data Protection Act 2018 sets out how everyone’s data should be treated lawfully and fairly.
Changes to UK employment law in 2024
In the world of employment, big changes can happen very quickly. Hirings and dismissals come and go, and business strategies adapt to how the world responds. With employment law, 2024 will see even bigger changes as employment law is in constant flux, with 25 October 2024 being the date the new government has said concludes its 100-day plan. Some of the things mentioned link to employment law, although there are many important points to be aware of now. Here’s what you need to know…
Employment Rights Act (Flexible Working) Amendment 2023
In April 2024, employees gained the right to request flexible working hours from the first day of their employment instead of completing 6 months of service to receive them. This applies to part-time, term-time, and flexitime work in varied working locations.
Carer’s Leave Act 2023
Employees who have caring responsibilities, such as their spouse or parent, can request to take at least one week of unpaid leave per year. The law states that employers cannot deny the request, but they can postpone it if they have justifiable reasons.
Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023
This law has previously been in place to protect employees who are on maternity, adoption, or shared parent leave from redundancy. From 6th April 2024, the law will extend to protect these employees for a further six months after their leave ends. The law is also being extended to employees who are pregnant and have informed their employer and employees who have suffered a miscarriage.
Paternity Leave Regulations 2024
New amendments allow the father or eligible partner more flexibility in taking paternity leave. Instead of previously being restricted to taking leave in consecutive blocks, leave can be split up and taken in different weeks.
Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023
Beginning in October 2024, workers have the statutory right to request a more predictable working pattern if their previous working pattern is unpredictable. Employers have the right to refuse the request if it is justified.
National Minimum Wage Increases
Since 1 April 2024, the minimum wage and national living wage have increased. You can find out more about what has changed here.
Why is employment law important to follow?
Employment laws are legal requirements. If you do not follow them, you can be taken to court, fined, or possibly face worse consequences.
They protect employers and their employees. They are ethical and just requirements that are put in place for good reason. Following them promotes a positive work environment and ensures that all employees and employers are treated fairly and within their rights.
Following employment law also protects the reputation of the company. It minimises the risk of lawsuits and fines.
How can HR efficiently manage changing employment laws?
It’s important that employment laws are kept up to date, especially because they change so often. Businesses should take responsibility for updating employees about changes to their employment rights. This could include regularly updated training sessions or creating a digital HR handbook that can easily be adapted.
Communication about employment rights should remain open. Employees should be made to feel comfortable discussing their HR concerns with the appropriate personnel.
Building positive relationships with employees will also promote a positive workplace environment and ensure that employees function within employment law to create a compliant workplace. You can read more about that here (link to HR compliance blog when live).
The main thing to take into account is that you should be proactive in handling employment law changes. The faster you adapt, the better for all.
How Can Trusted HR Help?
Trusted HR provides valuable, professional consultancy to various organisations across the UK. With a team of fully qualified experts (up to CIPD Level 7) and many years of experience, we can help you manage your case to its successful conclusion.
If you’re struggling to adapt to changes in employment laws, need help in your HR department, or would like to chat with a HR professional, we are here to help.
We know that every company is unique, so everything we do at Trusted HR is tailored to our clients. Our HR consultants focus on your organisation’s values and goals to create bespoke HR documentation and personalised recommendations.
We can help with:
- Employee Contracts and Handbooks
- Change Management
- Organisation Design and Development
- Employee Wellbeing
- Absence and Performance Management
- Conflict Resolution
- Managing Conduct
- Management and Leadership Development
Our team can assist you daily with various projects, such as a pay review, TUPE, or redundancy, offering guidance, advice, and recommendations to help your business grow. If you require ongoing assistance, we also offer three levels of retainer HR support.
Trusted HR offers a free, 45-minute, no-obligation consultation on any HR issue to help you get started. Request a consultation today.
