Forthcoming employment legislation in 2012
| Date | What’s happening? |
| 1st February | New tribunal award limits come into force including an increase to the maximum Unfair Dismissal award to £85,200 |
| By 8th March | Parental Leave entitlement increases to 4 months |
| 6th April | Qualifying service for an unfair dismissal claim increases to 2 years Various tribunal reforms take effect, including having witness statements taken as read unless directed otherwise by the tribunal |
| 9th April | Increase to weekly rate of Statutory Sick Pay to £85.85 Increase to weekly rate of Statutory Maternity, Paternity, Additional Paternity and Adoption Pay to £135.45 |
| 5th June | Extra Bank Holiday in celebration of Queen’s Diamond Jubilee |
| 1st October | Pension auto enrolment and compulsory employer contributions for companies with 120,000 employees or more National Minimum Wage increase (to be confirmed) |
The following developments are also likely to take place during 2012, however, these are subject to confirmation:
• Amendments to Working Time legislation to provide for the carry over of annual leave in limited circumstances;
• Penalties to be paid to the Exchequer, in addition to tribunal awards, for employers who breach employment legislation;
• Tribunal claims to be submitted to ACAS in the first instance, not the tribunal, for attempts at early conciliation;
• Amendments to whistleblowing legislation which will prevent disclosures in relation to breaches of employment contracts;
• Compromise agreements to be renamed ‘settlement agreements’ and their use simplified;
• ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures to be reviewed with a view to the creation of a simpler dismissal process;
• Consultations on:
- ‘protected conversations’ in which employers and employees will be able to discuss employment issues without the risk of dispute
- a ‘rapid resolution scheme’ as an alternative to tribunal for straightforward claims
- charging fees to lodge a tribunal claim
For any further information, please call our 24 Hour Advice Service on 0844 892 2772.
