Have bereaved parents been given new rights?
Yes. From April 2020 ‘Jack’s Law’ will come into force. This gives two weeks’ paid bereavement leave to parents in the UK who lose a child under the age of 18 or who suffer a stillbirth from 24 weeks of pregnancy. They will be able to take bereavement leave as a single block of two weeks or as two separate blocks of one week during the first year after the death. All employees will have this right, irrespective of how long they have worked for you.
What’s happening with the NMW in 2020?
Make sure you’re prepared for increases in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage. You must ensure you are paying your employees and apprentices the correct amount or you may face a large fine and public naming and shaming by the government.
The new rates from April 2020 are:
Remember that apprentices over the age of 19 in the second year of their apprenticeship must be paid the age-appropriate NMW or NLW. Also – keep a note of staff birthdays, as individual employees may move into a higher pay bracket during the year.NHBF Members can download a free in-depth guide to the National Minimum Wage: nhbf.co.uk/nmw-guide
What else is changing?
From April 2020, a new employee must be given a written statement that includes all the terms and conditions of their job on the first day of their employment. This is a change from the current law which says you must do this within two months.
The NHBF’s contracts and staff handbooks which are free to Members (nhbf.co.uk/contracts) include all the necessary terms and conditions. It’s good practice to send out the contract for signing with the offer letter in advance of day one.
Will Brexit change anything?
Salons will still have to comply with GDPR when dealing with their employees’ personal data (nhbf.co.uk/gdpready) and it is highly unlikely that employees will lose any of their current employee rights (nhbf.co.uk/employeerights).
The NHBF offers a range of business support services for hair and beauty salons, from legal, employment and financial guidance to discounted insurance and expert advice for managing people and boosting your business. www.nhbf.co.uk
