Did you know? 10 top employment law tips

Lianne Payne, Head of Employment Law at Askews Legal LLP (incorporating De Marco Solicitors) shares her 10 top employment law tips:

1. Did you know…that by law, you must issue employees with a written statement of terms and conditions within 2 months of commencing employment? A failure to provide this can result in compensation of up to 4 weeks pay per employee.
2. Did you know…that an absent employee who has exhausted their entitlement to statutory sick pay and is in receipt of zero pay may be entitled to full contractual pay during their notice period depending on their notice period entitlement?
3. Did you know…that employees with at least 26 weeks’ continuous employment can now make a request for flexible working under the statutory scheme for any reason, not just to care for a child or dependent?
4. Did you know…that the national minimum wage apprenticeship rate is only payable to those under 19 years of age or those aged 19 and over but in the first year of their apprenticeship.
5. Did you know…that an employee who is under notice of dismissal by reason of redundancy is entitled to paid reasonable time off to look for work or arrange training for a new job?
6. Did you know…that non-guaranteed overtime (that is, overtime that a worker is required to work but an employer is not obliged to offer) is ‘normal remuneration’ and must be taken into account when calculating holiday pay.
7. Did you know…that the Equality Act concerns discrimination and harassment in respect of 9 protected characteristics: Sex, age, race, religion or belief, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, sexual orientation?
8. Did you know…that you cannot deduct or withhold an employee’s wages unless you have expressly reserved the right to do so in their contract or unless they have consented in writing?
9. Did you know…that employers are no longer able to recoup statutory sick pay paid to their employees?
10. Did you know…that employees (with 2 years’ service) are entitled on request to a written statement setting out the reasons for their dismissal which must be provided within 14 days of the request? Employees who are dismissed while pregnant or during statutory maternity or adoption leave have the entitlement automatically, without having to make a request and regardless of their length of service.

For further advice and information on Employment law issues, contact Lianne Payne, Head of Employment on 024 7623 1000

Askews Legal LLP -Coventry Solicitors.