How employers can stay ahead in 2019

By Lancashire Business View

17 Jan 2019

helen-darbyshire-harrison-drury-1000x500.jpg
Upheaval in the employment law landscape is a theme that looks set to continue in 2019. Here’s some of the major changes you need to be prepared for.

By Helen Darbyshire, HR advisor at Harrison Drury

Minimum Wage and Living Wage increases

In April, we’ll see increases to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW).  Those aged over 25 will see an increase in the NLW from £7.83 to £8.21.

Meanwhile, there’ll be increases in the NMW to £7.70, £6.15 and £4.35 for those in the 21 to 24, 18 to 20 and under-16 age groups respectively.

Working time regulations

A decision is expected soon by the Supreme Court on whether NMW payments should be made for those employees doing ‘sleep-in shifts’.

Employers that require workers and employees to undertake such shifts should consider the cost and resourcing implications.

On the subject of working hours, from 6th April 2019 workers (as well as employees) will have the right to a payslip that includes total number of hours worked.   

Termination payments

There will also be changes to termination payments and the National Insurance payments connected with them.

Anyone contemplating such payments should be very clear about the tax treatment and how the payments will be dealt with in settlement discussions.

Auto-enrolment pension contributions

Also coming in April, employer and employee auto-enrolment pension contributions will climb from 2 per cent to 3 per cent.

Gender and executive pay gaps

In the drive to provide clarity and consistency on pay, companies with more than 250 employees are obliged to publish their gender pay gap reports by 4th April.

Further legislation is expected on executive pay, again with companies of more than 250 people expected to publish executive pay gaps in the same way as they do for gender.

Settled status for EU nationals

European workers living in the UK will be able to apply for settled status in 2019 so they can remain indefinitely after the Brexit transition process.

To qualify they will need to be able to evidence they’ve been living in the UK for five years at the time of their application.

The upshot of this is that businesses employing European nationals need to look carefully at their resourcing.

Micro-chipping of employees

Although this may seem like something way in the future, case law is already developing around microchipping of employees during working hours. It will be interesting to see how the courts rule given the changes which GDPR has brought and the potential invasion of privacy. It’s easy to be caught out by these employment law changes, so it’s wise to plan now for how they will impact your business.

Latest news

1

Three weekly domestic waste collection considered in plans Waste recycling Blackpool

Three weekly domestic waste collection considered in plans

01 Jul 2025

2

Graham Engineering confirms sale to a2e Industries Graham Engineering

Graham Engineering confirms sale to a2e Industries

01 Jul 2025

3

Training 2000 celebrates 'Good' rating by Ofsted Training 2000

Training 2000 celebrates 'Good' rating by Ofsted

01 Jul 2025

4

Fox Group acquires J Fisher and Sons Colin Fisher, Paul Fox CEO and Gary Fisher.

Fox Group acquires J Fisher and Sons

01 Jul 2025

5

Beever and Struthers strengthen leadership team with new partners Dean Curtis and Joe Diston

Beever and Struthers strengthen leadership team with new partners

01 Jul 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Jul 2025 - 02 Jul 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July

St John's Hospice, Slyne Road, Lancaster, LA2 6ST

08:00 - 10:00

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4
LBV Hub Seminars
04 Jul 2025 - 04 Jul 2025

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

08:30 - 11:00

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase
unnamed (2).jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Jul 2025 - 09 Jul 2025

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase

Crow Wood Hotel, Burnley, BB12 0RT

09:30 - 16:00

Blackburn Cathedral hosts Champagne and Diamonds Event with Ainsworth Jewellers
Champagne-Jewellery 10 07 25_page-0001.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
10 Jul 2025 - 10 Jul 2025

Blackburn Cathedral hosts Champagne and Diamonds Event with Ainsworth Jewellers

Blackburn Cathedral, Blackburn, BB1 5AA

18:00 - 20:30

Choose Chorley for Business - Talent Reimagined Business Breakfast
talentreimaginedbb.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
10 Jul 2025 - 10 Jul 2025

Choose Chorley for Business - Talent Reimagined Business Breakfast

Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, Chorley, PR71PS

08:00 - 10:30

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past
1750160034867.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Jul 2025 - 16 Jul 2025

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:30

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin