Legal Timetable Summary
Statutory Maternity & Paternity/Partner Pay
6 April 2010
Increase in statutory maternity and paternity pay rate from £123.06 to £124.88
Additional paternity/partner leave for fathers
6 April 2010
Employees who are fathers or partners of mothers or adopters, can take paternity leave of up to 26 weeks in the first year of their child’s life or the first year after the child’s placement for adoption. The additional paternity leave has effect in relation to children whose expected week of birth is on or after 3 April 2011. A number of requirements must be satisfied, including that the mother or adopter has returned to work.
‘Fit Note’ replaces the ‘Sick Note’
6 April 2010
A change in the format of the medical statement and the rules associated with its completion. Doctors will be able to indicate whether their patient is unfit for work or may be able to work with appropriate support if available. The Regulations reduce the number of different medical statements available for doctors to issue.
Right to request time off for training is introduced
6 April 2010
A right to request time off to undertake training, modelled on the right to request flexible working, is introduced for employees in organisations with 250 or more employees. Employers will be obliged to consider seriously requests that they receive, but will be able to refuse a request where there is a good business reason for doing so. Employers will not be obliged to meet the salary or training costs to enable a request for time off to train to be met.
Employee Study and Training (Eligibility, Complaints and Remedies) Regulations 2010 come into force
6 April 2010
The maximum amount of compensation that may be awarded where an employer does not comply with the procedural requirements in respect of a request for time off to train, or refuses an application on impermissible grounds, is eight weeks' pay.
Normal minimum pension age rises to 55
6 April 2010
The minimum age at which people can start to receive pension payments from an occupational or personal pension scheme, rises from 50 to 55. There are exceptions, including where the scheme member has a protected pension age or severe health problems.