Copyright © 2024 Thesaurus Software Ltd T/A Bright Software Group.
3 Shortlands, Hammersmith, London, W6 8DA
[email protected] 0345 9390019Mar 2014
16
The government has approved a rise in the national minimum wage (NMW) to £6.50 an hour in October this year, as recommended by the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC).
This change is expected to boost take home pay for more than one million employees who could see their wage increase by as much as £355 a year..
From the 1st of October 2014 NMW rates will be:
Bright Contracts – Employment contracts and handbooks.
BrightPay – Payroll & Auto Enrolment Software
Mar 2014
10
Government calls for employer responses to new regime
The government has published its draft regulations for shared parental leave and pay, with finalised rules scheduled to come into force on the 1st of October 2014. However, law experts are already warning that the proposed rules “look terribly complicated for both employers and employees”. The draft regulations outline new entitlements for mums and dads, or their partners, to receive 'statutory shared parental pay' from their employers.
The proposals detail the conditions that parents must meet to qualify for these payments. They also allow flexibility for parents to change their requirements after their initial claim.This secondary legislation is part of a radical government overhaul of the existing maternity and paternity regime and it will support the primary legislation known as the Children and Families Act once it receives Royal Assent. The rules will allow both parents to share up to 50 weeks' leave, which can be taken at the same time, or separately. Mums will be able to cut short maternity leave and, provided they give at least eight weeks' notice, can make up to three requests to share their maternity leave with their partner after having their child. But if an employer does not agree to discontinuous periods of leave the employee will have to take the leave continuously. Policy makers at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (Bis) have urged employers, and other stakeholders, to respond to the draft rules, saying they want to make the new system of shared parental leave and pay “as simple to use as possible”.Bis has indicated it intends the changes to take effect for babies born on or after 5 April 2015.
But in response to the publication of the draft, Pattie Walsh, London head of employment at DLA Piper, said: "The much trailed overhaul of the UK's existing maternity and paternity regime has now had some flesh put on the bones with the publication of a series of draft regulations. "The government's aim to allow parents to share a period of parental leave is a laudable one. However, at first blush at least, the regulations which will implement the system look terribly complicated - for both employers and employees. They are due to come into force in October 2014, leaving employers with a relatively short time to prepare new policies and procedures, and will apply to employees expecting a baby on or after 5 April 2015.And she added: "Surprisingly, it appears that only employees with 26 weeks' service will qualify for the right to take shared parental leave in any event."
Bright Contracts – Employment contracts and handbooks.
BrightPay – Payroll & Auto Enrolment Software
Oct 2013
24
We are delighted to let you all know that we have been shortlisted by AccountingWeb for their Software Satisfaction Awards – Payroll Category. We would like to say a big thank you to all of our BrightPay customers that gave such positive feedback which has resulted in us being shortlisted. Customer satisfaction is paramount to us here in BrightPay. We will strive to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction both in our product and service at all times.
The winners will be announced on the 7th November so wish us luck!
http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/article/software-satisfaction-awards-shortlists-revealed/548792
Apr 2013
17
The rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will rise by 5p to £5.03, and by 4p to £3.72 for 16 and 17-year-olds.
Ministers said they had rejected a recommendation from the Low Pay Commission that the rate for apprentices should be frozen, announcing a 3p an increase to £2.68 an hour.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "The independent Low Pay Commission plays a crucial role in advising the Government when setting the national minimum wage every year. It balances wages of low paid workers against employment prospects if the rate was set too high.
"We are accepting its recommendations for the adult and youth rate increases, which I am confident strikes this balance. However, there is worrying evidence that a significant number of employers are not paying apprentices the relevant minimum wage rate.
"Apprenticeships are at the heart of our goal to support a stronger economy, and so it is important to continue to make them attractive to young people.
"Therefore, I am not taking forward the LPC's recommendation to freeze the apprenticeship rate due to non-compliance, but instead am raising it in line with the youth rates. We are working on a series of tough new measures to ensure we tackle non-compliance issues across the board."
Tim Thomas of the manufacturers' organisation the EEF, commented: "Today's announcement strikes a delicate balance between the need for an element of pay progression and the limitations employers face in accommodating pay rises.
"The modest increase in the apprenticeship rate is unlikely to negatively affect apprenticeship recruitment and of much greater importance is the raising of apprenticeships standards, better information and advice to students and ensuring that apprenticeships are truly employer-led and employer-driven."
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Boosting the incomes of the low paid goes straight into the economy and wage-led growth must be part of the recovery so we would have liked to have seen minimum wage rates go up further today, even if the Government has rightly rejected calls for a freeze.
"But we are pleased that ministers have increased the apprenticeship rate. This sends a positive signal about the importance of apprentices.
"We will continue to press ministers for more action to ensure the minimum wage is properly enforced - particularly for apprentices where there is considerable evidence that many miss out. It is time to get tough with wage-cheat employers who break this law.
"We will continue to urge the many employers who can afford it to implement a full living wage for their staff."
The rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will rise by 5p to £5.03, and by 4p to £3.72 for 16 and 17-year-olds.
Ministers said they had rejected a recommendation from the Low Pay Commission that the rate for apprentices should be frozen, announcing a 3p an increase to £2.68 an hour.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "The independent Low Pay Commission plays a crucial role in advising the Government when setting the national minimum wage every year. It balances wages of low paid workers against employment prospects if the rate was set too high.
"We are accepting its recommendations for the adult and youth rate increases, which I am confident strikes this balance. However, there is worrying evidence that a significant number of employers are not paying apprentices the relevant minimum wage rate.
"Apprenticeships are at the heart of our goal to support a stronger economy, and so it is important to continue to make them attractive to young people.
"Therefore, I am not taking forward the LPC's recommendation to freeze the apprenticeship rate due to non-compliance, but instead am raising it in line with the youth rates. We are working on a series of tough new measures to ensure we tackle non-compliance issues across the board."
Tim Thomas of the manufacturers' organisation the EEF, commented: "Today's announcement strikes a delicate balance between the need for an element of pay progression and the limitations employers face in accommodating pay rises.
"The modest increase in the apprenticeship rate is unlikely to negatively affect apprenticeship recruitment and of much greater importance is the raising of apprenticeships standards, better information and advice to students and ensuring that apprenticeships are truly employer-led and employer-driven."
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Boosting the incomes of the low paid goes straight into the economy and wage-led growth must be part of the recovery so we would have liked to have seen minimum wage rates go up further today, even if the Government has rightly rejected calls for a freeze.
"But we are pleased that ministers have increased the apprenticeship rate. This sends a positive signal about the importance of apprentices.
"We will continue to press ministers for more action to ensure the minimum wage is properly enforced - particularly for apprentices where there is considerable evidence that many miss out. It is time to get tough with wage-cheat employers who break this law.
"We will continue to urge the many employers who can afford it to implement a full living wage for their staff."
The rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will rise by 5p to £5.03, and by 4p to £3.72 for 16 and 17-year-olds.
Ministers said they had rejected a recommendation from the Low Pay Commission that the rate for apprentices should be frozen, announcing a 3p an increase to £2.68 an hour.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "The independent Low Pay Commission plays a crucial role in advising the Government when setting the national minimum wage every year. It balances wages of low paid workers against employment prospects if the rate was set too high.
"We are accepting its recommendations for the adult and youth rate increases, which I am confident strikes this balance. However, there is worrying evidence that a significant number of employers are not paying apprentices the relevant minimum wage rate.
"Apprenticeships are at the heart of our goal to support a stronger economy, and so it is important to continue to make them attractive to young people.
"Therefore, I am not taking forward the LPC's recommendation to freeze the apprenticeship rate due to non-compliance, but instead am raising it in line with the youth rates. We are working on a series of tough new measures to ensure we tackle non-compliance issues across the board."
Tim Thomas of the manufacturers' organisation the EEF, commented: "Today's announcement strikes a delicate balance between the need for an element of pay progression and the limitations employers face in accommodating pay rises.
"The modest increase in the apprenticeship rate is unlikely to negatively affect apprenticeship recruitment and of much greater importance is the raising of apprenticeships standards, better information and advice to students and ensuring that apprenticeships are truly employer-led and employer-driven."
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Boosting the incomes of the low paid goes straight into the economy and wage-led growth must be part of the recovery so we would have liked to have seen minimum wage rates go up further today, even if the Government has rightly rejected calls for a freeze.
"But we are pleased that ministers have increased the apprenticeship rate. This sends a positive signal about the importance of apprentices.
"We will continue to press ministers for more action to ensure the minimum wage is properly enforced - particularly for apprentices where there is considerable evidence that many miss out. It is time to get tough with wage-cheat employers who break this law.
"We will continue to urge the many employers who can afford it to implement a full living wage for their staff."
Bright Contracts – Employment Contracts and Handbooks.
BrightPay – Payroll & Auto Enrolment Software.
Copyright © 2024 Thesaurus Software Ltd T/A Bright Software Group.
3 Shortlands, Hammersmith, London, W6 8DA
[email protected] 0345 9390019