Top 10 HR questions October 2024: National living wage

An increase to the “real” living wage was announced in October by the Living Wage Foundation.

The “real” living wage is an independently set rate based on cost-of-living evidence, which employers can voluntarily sign up to pay. It is separate to the “national living wage”, the top rate of the national minimum wage.

Also in October, before the Autumn budget, the Government announced increased national minimum wage rates, which will apply from April 2025. While there is still a gap, the increase will bring the national living wage closer in line with the rates used by the Living Wage Foundation. The real living wage is the subject of one of the top FAQs on Brightmine, formerly XpertHR, in October.

The new duty to prevent sexual harassment came into force on 26 October 2024. With the publication earlier in October of the Employment Rights Bill, the Government has made clear that it will strengthen the duty by slightly amending the wording of the legislation, along with introducing clear employer liability for harassment of their employees by third parties. The number one question for the month looks at the current position on third-party harassment and the impact of the new duty.

relx_copyright – This article is Brightmine content – Copyright 2024 LexisNexis Risk Solutions

Other FAQs in the top 10 look at holiday pay on termination of employment, statistics on unfair dismissal compensation, and overpayments to former employees.

The top 10 HR questions in October 2024:

1. If a third party harasses an employee, will the employer be liable for the third party’s actions under the Equality Act 2010?

2. What is the living wage used by the Living Wage Foundation and how is it calculated?

3. How is holiday pay on termination of employment calculated?

4. Are figures available on the amount of compensation awarded in unfair dismissal cases?

5. Where an employer discovers an overpayment to an employee only after the employee has left the organisation, what are its options?

6. Are long-service awards incompatible with the Equality Act 2010?

7. If an employee in a TUPE situation refuses to transfer, will they be entitled to a redundancy payment?

8. Can employees carry over unused statutory annual leave to the next holiday year?

9. What is the difference between sex-based harassment and sexual harassment?

10. Will a period of unpaid leave break the employee’s continuity of service?

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