After looking back at some particularly sombre pieces of festive news, it is time to look forward at what to expect from 2018.

 2018 could be a big year for case law. For the gig economy, the Uber and Pimlico Plumbers appeals will be heard before the CoA and Supreme Court respectively early this year, with decision impacting worker status and what gig workers should be paid.

The holiday pay appeal of the Sash Windows Workshop case will return to our Courts after the ECJ decision late last year.

Finally, the shared parental leave case of Ali will have judgment handed down in the next few weeks after being heard late in the EAT in December.

Away from case law, in April, new MNW and statutory pay rates will be introduced. We have already covered the statutory rates in a previous post. The NMW rates are as follows:

  • £7.83 for workers aged 25 and over (the National Living Wage)
  • £7.38 for 21-24 year olds
  • £5.90 for 18-20 year olds
  • £4.20 for 16-17 year olds
  • £3.70 for apprentices aged under 19 or in the first year of their apprenticeship.

There will almost certainly be other policies introduced in April which are yet to be announced. One possible change is making caste a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 and extending pay reporting to race and pay ratios.

May will see the General Data Protection Regulations coming into force. For training on how this might impact your business please contact us.

The Taylor Review made several suggestions on how to reform worker status and the gig economy and we expect these to implemented at some point this year.

After a PwC agency worker got sent home for not wearing high heels there has been much debate about updating dress codes at work. The government is hesitant to change the law but they have said new guidance for best practice will be issued this year.

2017 was a huge year for employment law and it looks like 2018 will follow suit. If you need advice on any employment law issue, new or old, please contact us. To sign off, we would like to wish all clients and readers a prosperous 2018.