We have just updated two employment packs, the Employment Letters Pack http://www.contractstore.com/employmentletterpack and the Staff Handbook http://www.contractstore.com/staff-handbook
We also updated the free download Employment Contract Notes which has useful checklists and information for UK employers. http://www.contractstore.com/employment-contract-notes
Paternity Leave Increases
On 6th April 2010, new regulations come into force which allow for additional paternity leave and pay. For parents of babies born on or after 3rd April 2011, eligible fathers (or partners) will be entitled to take up to 26 weeks’ additional paternity leave, if the mother returns to work before the end of her statutory maternity leave period. Part of additional paternity leave will be paid if taken at the time when the mother would be receiving statutory maternity pay. This new entitlement also applies to parents who adopt.
Further information can be found at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/Policies/employment-matters/strategies/paternity-leave
Fit Notes
From 6th April 2010, the old sick note will be replaced by the “fit note”. GPs will issue fit notes focusing on what an employee can do and ways that an employee can be assisted back to work. This can include going back part-time or reducing responsibilties, until they are fully fit.
Useful guidance is available from ACAS at:
http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2832
Parents to Benefit from Increase
From April 4th 2010, the standard rates of statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay increase from £123.06 to £124.88 per week.
On 18th June the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills announced the start of a consultation period (ending on 10th September: timetotrain.consultation@dius.gsi.gov.uk) on proposals to give all employees with at least 6 months continuous employment the right to request time off from work to attend training courses relevant to their job. Consultation on the final draft inspected in early 2009 with legislation in late 2009 coming into effect in the first half of 2010. It is proposed that employers may refuse a request for sound business reasons and that employers are neither obliged to fund training costs nor pay employees during training.
For further details and commentary please download the full article for free on ContractStore’s website.
