Here are the answers to our 2011 employment law quiz…
1 On 1 October 2011 the main rate of the national minimum wage increased to:
£6.08
£6.10
£6.12
On 1 October, the rate of the national minimum wage rose from £5.93 to £6.08 per hour for adults aged 21 or over.
View more information on the current national minimum wage rates.
2 Under the Agency Workers Regulations 2010, which came into force on 1 October 2011, the qualifying period for the same basic employment conditions as an employee employed directly by the end-user is:
8 weeks
10 weeks
12 weeks
The correct answer is 12 weeks. Read XpertHR’s employer FAQs on the Agency Workers Regulations.
3 The last date that an employer could issue a new notification of retirement using the default retirement age and the statutory retirement procedure was:
5 April 2011
6 April 2011
1 October 2011
The default retirement age was abolished on 6 April 2011 so the last date that an employer could issue a new notification of retirement using the default retirement age and the statutory retirement procedure was 5 April 2011. View more information on the timetable for the abolition of the default retirement age.
4 In November 2011, the Government announced that it intends to increase the qualification period for unfair dismissal protection from one year to:
18 months
Two years
30 months
The Government announced that it intends to increase the qualification period for unfair dismissal protection from one year to two years. Read more about the announcement.
5 As part of its planned “radical” reforms to employment law, the Government said in 2011 that it will rename compromise agreements:
Sellout agreements
Disagreement agreements
Settlement agreements
The Government said in 2011 that it will change the name of compromise agreements to settlement agreements. See more information on the announced reforms here.
6 For how long must a father have been employed to qualify for additional paternity leave?
28 days
26 weeks
Two years
The correct answer is 26 weeks, ending with the 15th week before the week the child is expected to be born. For more detail on who qualifies for additional paternity leave, click here.
7 Which of the following is not a “protected characteristic” under the Equality Act?
Marriage and civil partnership
Gender reassignment
Paternity
Paternity is not a protected characteristic. For more information on the protected characteristics follow this link.
8 What is the maximum penalty for an individual successfully prosecuted under the Bribery Act?
10 years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine
5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of £10,000
2 years’ imprisonment and a fine of £10,000
The correct answer is 10 years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine. More on the Bribery Act here
9 How much is the current standard rate of statutory maternity pay?
£124.88
£128.73
£135.45
The standard rates of statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay increased from £124.88 to £128.73 per week on 3 April 2011. The rate increases again in April 2012 to £135.45. More on the changes here.
10 Which of the following employment rights is not included in the Agency Workers Regulations?
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Annual leave
Bonuses linked to performance
Bonuses for loyalty or long service
Bonuses for loyalty or long service are not included in the Agency Workers Regulations. More information here.
