In line with the government’s commitment to implement changes to UK employment law on either 6 April or 1 October each year, a number of significant changes took effect in October.
All employers should now be compliant with the minimum mandatory procedures for dealing with workplace disciplinary and grievance procedures.
Employers should also be paying the new national minimum wage (NMW) rates, Adults £4.85 (£4.50), 18-21 year olds £4.10 (£3.80) and 16-17 year olds £3.00. Apprentices are exempt from this new young workers rate.
New requirements were also introduced to pay piece rate workers the minimum wage for every hour they work based on an hourly output rate.
All businesses that provide goods, services or facilities direct to the public are now required to make any necessary, reasonable physical adjustments to features of their premises that prevent equal access for disabled people.
In addition businesses with fewer than 15 employees, who were previously exempt from the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, must ensure that they do not discriminate against employees or job applicants with disabilities.