This year will see a number of employment law developments, including the introduction of the new statutory right to carer’s leave.
2024 began with legislation on holiday pay, confirming the rules on carry over of holiday and what should be included in the calculation of holiday pay. The most popular FAQs of the month deal include updates to reflect the new legislation.
HR should now be starting to prepare for changes due to come into effect in April. From 6 April employees who have caring responsibilities will be able to request a week’s carer’s leave. A number of FAQs in the top 10 this month look at how the new right will operate. One of them looks at eligibility and the types of responsibilities that the leave will cover. While employees will be able to take leave for older relatives with care needs, the new right doesn’t cover general childcare responsibilities.
More questions on holiday entitlement and pay feature in the top 10, including on changes relating to irregular hours and part-year workers that will impact some employers from April 2024.
The top 10 HR questions in January 2024:
1. When does overtime have to be included in holiday pay?
2. Can unused statutory annual holiday be carried forward to the next holiday year?
3. Can an employer refuse an employee’s request to take statutory carer’s leave?
4. How should an employer calculate a term-time worker’s paid holiday?
5. Should an employer insist that holiday is taken?
6. Do employers have to pay employees while they are on statutory carer’s leave?
7. What does dismissal for “some other substantial reason” mean?
8. Who will be eligible for statutory carer’s leave?
9. Does an employer have to pay holiday pay to its casual workers?
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