April 2022 Employment Law Changes
There are several changes in employment law taking place in April. Read our blog for a summary of the key changes.
Minimum Wage
From 1 April 2022, the national minimum wage increased. The new rates are:
- National living wage (23+): £9.50 per hour
- Adult rate (21-22): £9.18 per hour
- Development rate (18-20): £6.83 per hour
- Youth rate (16-17): £4.81 per hour
- Apprentice rate (under 19 or in the first year): £4.81 per hour
- Accommodation offset: £8.70 per day
Employers will need to ensure they are paying in line with these new rates from April 1st going forward.
Statutory Payments
Statutory payments also rose in April. Statutory sick pay increased to £99.35 per week from April 6th, 2022, and statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, and parental bereavement pay all went up to £156.66 per week with effect from the 3rd of April 2022.
Covid-19
From the 1st of April 2022, new public health guidance was provided. Anyone with a positive Covid-19 test result is advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days after the day they took the test. Anyone with symptoms is advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with others until they stop displaying symptoms.
Free tests were withdrawn from April 1st and instead, lateral flow tests can be bought from retailers for around £2 per test.
Most employers will no longer have to consider COVID-19 in their risk assessments from April 1st.
PPE to be provided to workers
From the 6th of April 2022, the Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 came into force and amended the 1992 Regulations. Under the new rules, employers will be required to provide suitable free personal protective equipment to workers as well as employees where there is a health and safety risk. If PPE is required, employers must ensure their workers have sufficient information, instruction, and training on the use of PPE.
April looks like to be a busy month with plenty of changes and things to be aware of for employers.
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