April 2015 Changes in Employment Law

A reminder of some changes to employment law this April.

• Shared parental leave will be available in respect of children due to be born or placed for adoption on or after 5 April 2015. At the same time, additional paternity leave and pay will be abolished in respect of babies due or placed for adoption on or after that date.
• From 5 April 2015, employees will no longer need 26 weeks’ service to qualify for adoption leave and statutory adoption pay will be increased so that the first six weeks is paid at 90% of average weekly earnings, bringing it into line with statutory maternity pay.
• Parents will be able to exercise the right to take unpaid parental leave up until the child’s 18th birthday (instead of their fifth).
• A new right to paid and unpaid time off for adoption appointments comes into force on 5 April 2015.
• The cap on the unfair dismissal compensatory award increases to £78,335 and the cap on a week’s pay increases to £475 where the effective date of termination is on or after 6 April 2015.
• Increases to statutory sick pay rates and statutory maternity, adoption, paternity and shared parental pay rates take effect. 

Full details of the new rates and limits can be found in the latest edition of Doyle Clayton's Employment Law Essentials.