Forthcoming changes (UK)
(updated Nov 2021)
We will continue to update you via our monthly newsletter on any changes that you may need to make to your policies or procedures.
| 09 November 2021 | The final stage of a case that will decide on the calculation for 0 hours part year workers. This may see changes on the use of zero hours contracts and how these contracts can be used. Generally speaking, a zero hours contract is one in which the employer does not guarantee the individual any hours of work. #flexibleworking #zerohours |
| 11 November 2021 | All workers over 18 (unless medically exempt) employed to work in care homes in England, registered by the CQC, providing personal or nursing care, must be double vaccinated. This extends to others coming into the home to provide services. #Carehomes #carestaff #careindustry |
| 24 December 2021 | The deadline for care home workers and volunteers that have provided a self-certification of exemption from the Covid vaccine must confirm their exemption status via the NHS Pass by 24 December 2021. #Carehomes #carestaff #careindustry |
| 31 December 2021 | All claims under the SSP rebate scheme, closed on 30 September 2021, must be made by this date in order for the employer to get money back under this scheme. #ssp #claims |
| 5 April 2022 | From this date, employers must revert to in person checks of right to work documentation. #employmentchecks #righttoworkcheck ##righttowork |
| 5 April 2022 | National Living Wage will rise by 6.6%, from £8.91 per hour to £9.50 per hour #NLW #nationallivingwage |
Changes that have recently taken place in the last 3 months:
| 09 November 2021 | The final stage of a case that will decide on the calculation for 0 hours part year workers. This may see changes on the use of zero hours contracts and how these contracts can be used. Generally speaking, a zero hours contract is one in which the employer does not guarantee the individual any hours of work. #flexibleworking #zerohours |
| 11 November 2021 | All workers over 18 (unless medically exempt) employed to work in care homes in England, registered by the CQC, providing personal or nursing care, must be double vaccinated. This extends to others coming into the home to provide services. |
| 5 October 2021 | The EHRC restarted enforcement of the publication of gender pay gaps for public and private companies in 2021 |
| 1 October 2021 | The NHS Covid Pass was launched, that can be used by care home workers / volunteers to apply for and evidence their exemption to the Covid vaccine requirement. All staff that have provided a self-certification of exemption must confirm their exemption status via the Pass by 24 December 2021. |
| 30 September 2021 | Modern slavery statements deadline for businesses whose financial year ended in April. |
| 30 September 2021 | The Covid SSP rebate scheme came to an end. From this date, absences need to be paid in full by the employer, as they will no longer be able to claim them back from the government. |
| 30 September 2021 | The Job Retention Scheme finished. |
| 15 September 2021 | Covid-restrictions update Shielding has officially ended, with decisions regarding the care of most vulnerable people to be made by specialists caring for individuals. Originally paused 1 April 2021, the government has confirmed the official end to centralised guidance for the most vulnerable groups. |
| 26 August 2021 | The ability to perform right to work checks remotely, instead of having to see in person original documents, was extended to 5 April 2022. |
Forthcoming changes (to be confirmed)
| To be confirmed | A duty requiring employers to prevent sexual harassment will be introduced, including explicit protections from third-party harassment. The time limit for bringing related claims will be looked at and possibly extended to 6 months. #training #policy |
| To be confirmed | New law prohibiting confidentiality clauses in contracts or settlement agreements from preventing disclosures to the police, regulated health and care or legal professionals to be introduced. New law requiring confidentiality clauses to set out their limitations to be introduced #confidentiality #disclosures #contractclauses |
| To be confirmed | Laws on criminal record disclosures to be amended, reducing the disclosure period for sentences lasting four years or less #crb #disclosure #increasetolaw |
| To be confirmed | Redundancy protection for new parents to be extended #redundancy |
| To be confirmed | New law introducing right for all workers to request a more predictable and stable contract after 26 weeks’ service to be introduced, and requiring compensation for shifts cancelled at short notice. #contracts #policies #hr |
| To be confirmed | New law to increase break in continuous employment from one week to four weeks to be introduced |
| To be confirmed | New law preventing deductions from ‘tips’ to be introduced |
| To be confirmed | New legislation to clarify employment status tests to be introduced |
| To be confirmed | Expected to come into force by April 2022, stronger enforcement powers for certification officers for trade unions to be introduced, as well as wider proactive investigatory powers. |
| To be confirmed | New law introducing tribunal sanctions where organisations commit repeated breaches to be introduced |
| To be confirmed | Extension of shared parental leave to grandparents |
