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Increase in statutory rates and limits on tribunal awards 2024
April sees the increase to the National living and minimum wage rates, minimum rates for agricultural workers, statutory redundancy pay, statutory payments including SSP and limits on tribunal awards.
New rates for statutory payments in force from April 2024.
From April 2024 a number of statutory payment rates increase for the 2024-25 financial year.
Below are the links which relate to the changes in respect of Social Security Benefits and the increases in limits to the Employment Rights Order.
The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021
This Order increases, from 6th April 2021, the limits applying to certain awards of industrial tribunals, the Fair Employment Tribunal or Labour Relations Agency statutory arbitration. Examples of these rates include the maximum amount of “a week’s pay” for the purpose of calculating a redundancy payment or various awards, including the basic or additional award of compensation for unfair dismissal is now £566. The limit on amount of guarantee payment payable to an employee in respect of any day is now £30.00. The other rates can be found in the Schedule to the Order.
No 42 The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020
This Order increases, from 6th April 2020, the limits applying to certain awards of industrial tribunals, the Fair Employment Tribunal or Labour Relations Agency statutory arbitration. Examples of these rates include the maximum amount of “a week’s pay” for the purpose of calculating a redundancy payment or various awards, including the basic or additional award of compensation for unfair dismissal is now £560. The limit on amount of guarantee payment payable to an employee in respect of any day is now £30.00. The other rates can be found in the Schedule to the Order.
NI’s Labour Market Follows Global Trends with ‘Hybrid Working’ offering best response to the ‘Great Resignation’
- 40% of workforce considering leaving or changing jobs by summer 2022 -
Parental bereavement leave and pay legislation arrives
Following its passage through the Assembly, the legislation for Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay comes in to effect in Northern Ireland from the 6th April 2022.
More information on the legislation can be found on our dedicated legislation pages (click the link at the top of the page) or by calling our Workplace Information Service on 03300 555 300
Trade unions
The Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 defines a trade union as “an organisation (whether permanent or temporary) which … consists wholly or mainly of workers of one or more descriptions and is an organisation whose principal purposes include the regulation of relations between workers … and employers or employers’ associations.
Early Conciliation
The Labour Relations Agency provides an Early Conciliation service following a change in NI employment law which took effect on 27 January 2020. This service helps to resolve workplace disputes in a legally binding way, without the need to take a case to the Industrial or Fair Employment Tribunal. Click below for more information or to make an Early Conciliation notification.
SSP Entitlement Northern Ireland – Temporary Extension
Temporary changes were made to the SSP Regulations effective from 14th December 2020 to deal with the exceptional circumstances faced by employers and employees in relation to Covid related illness.
Changes to Fit Note requirements in Northern Ireland
The requirements for doctors fit notes in Northern Ireland have been amended to remove the need for a doctor to produce a fit note in ink. The change becomes live from the 6th April 2022.
The Department For Communities have explained the change here.
The legislation for the change can be found here or on our dedicated legislation pages on this website. (click the legislation button at the top of this page)