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Employment Law Changes – 2023

In this article we look ahead to the proposed legal changes within the employment field and have also set out some of the increased statutory pay rates which will apply from April 2023.

Increase in statutory pay rates

The new statutory rates are as follows:

  • Statutory Sick Pay – increases to £109.40 per week;
  • Statutory maternity, adoption, shared parental, paternity and parental bereavement pay – increases to £172.48 per week;
  • National Living Wage (for those aged 23 and over) – increases to £10.42 an hour.   

New employment rights

The Government has backed a number of private members’ bills which are currently going through Parliament and may be implemented in 2023/2024. These include:

  • Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave): Once passed, this Bill will extend the existing redundancy protections available to women on maternity leave, to also cover a woman’s pregnancy and a six-month period after returning to work. The same protections will also apply to those employees on adoption or shared parental leave.
  • Employment Relations (Flexible Working): Once passed, employees’ rights to request flexible working will be enhanced by extending the number of flexible working requests an employee can make during a 12-month period from one to two.
  • Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay): This Bill (once passed) will provide parents of a child who is receiving/has received neonatal care, with a statutory entitlement of up to 12 weeks’ leave (and pay, subject to having at least 26 weeks’ service). This will be a day one right available to all employees irrespective of their length of service. Employees will also be provided with protection from dismissal or detriment due to having taken the leave.
  • Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010): Once passed, this Bill will place an obligation on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent employees from suffering harassment in the course of their employment including from third parties. It is also proposed to extend the three-month time limit for bringing all workplace discrimination and harassment claims to six months.

Please contact us for more information about the changes addressed above or if you have any other employment law queries at 029 2034 5511 or employment@berrysmith.com