Employment law updates- looking after your staff

2011 – New Legislation

2011 will provide new regulations for employers to update themselves with and work through the challenges to their pension scheme processes, employing agency workers and helping their employees with their flexible working hours. Here's a quick guide for employers to help keep themselves updated on the New Year’s legislation.

Abolition of the default retirement age

By far the most important legislation change employers will be challenged by in 2011 is the abolition of the default retirement age.

The default retirement age is not completely abolished until 1 October 2011. However there is a six-month transitional period from April in which employers will be unable to issue new notifications of retirement, with a few exceptions. The default retirement age will be completely abolished on 1 October 2011 and employers will be prohibited from retiring employees by means of the default retirement age from this date.

If you haven’t already, now is the time to phone your pensions scheme administrators and check they will be completing the work and providing your company with updates.

Agency Worker Regulations

The new agency workers regulations are going live on 1st October 2011 and they afford agency workers equal treatment in basic employment conditions, including pay, working time and holiday, after a 12-week qualifying period in a given job. Employers must give agency workers the same basic employment details and conditions that would apply if they had been recruited directly by the hirer into the same job. 

Flexible working extension for Parents

The right to request flexible working will be extended to parents of children under the age of 18 from 6 April 2011. It currently applies to parents of children under the age of 17, or 18 if the child is disabled.

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If you have any questions or want more information, feel free to contact me