http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/section.General News from www.lawadvisers.co.uk en 2012-05-19T21:39:05300:10 hourly 1 1970-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.89/title.employment-law-changes News of the major changes in April 2012 General 2012-04-06 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.88/title.unfair-dismissal-change-in-tribunal Claims for unfair dismissal will now be heard by employment judges sitting alone, rather than a panel of 3 members, unless they direct otherwise. General 2012-04-05 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.87/title.costs-in-employment-tribunals Currently, employment tribunal procedure rules give an employment judge a discretion to order a claimant or respondent to pay a deposit of up to £500, if they consider that all or part of a claim or response has little reasonable prospect of success. This will increase to £1000. The maximum amount of a costs order, which an employment tribunal may make, will increase from £10,000 to £20,000. General 2012-04-05 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.86/title.unfair-dismissal-period From 6 April 2012, an employee whose employment begins after this date will need two years' continuous service (rather than one) before being entitled to claim unfair dismissal and receive a statement of reasons for dismissal. General 2012-04-05 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.85/title.statutory-sick-pay As of 6 April 2012 Statutory Sick Pay will rise to £85.85 per week General 2012-04-05 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.84/title.national-insurance-lower-earning-limit-increase As of 6 April 2012 the National Insurance Lower Earning Limit (which employees must earn in order to qualify for statutory maternity, paternity, additional paternity or adoption pay) will increase from £102 per week to £107 per week. General 2012-04-05 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.83/title.increase-in-rates Statutory rates increase General 2012-04-05 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.82/title.redundancy-procedure-clarification The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that unless an employee informs their employer of a dispute, that employer cannot be liable for unfair dismissal for failure to follow a fair procedure. General 2012-04-05 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.81/title.equality-act-2010 Equality Act 2010 timeline General 2010-04-14 http://www.lawadvisers.co.uk/index/news-app/story.80/title.local-fruit-farm-guilty-of-serious-racial-discrimination-against-polish-workers A local fruit farm has been ordered to pay substantial sums to 2 Polish workers forced to live in “appalling conditions”. A total of £26,000 is to be paid by David Leslie Fruits for withholding wages and for racial discrimination. General 2010-04-07