Pensions auto-enrolment is being rolled out gradually over a number of years.  All employers have been given their own staging date (this means when auto-enrolment is launched in their organisation) – the date is linked to the organisation’s size.  The largest organisations started in October 2012.  If you employ between 50 and 249 people your staging date will be any time from 1^st April 2014 up to 1^st April 2015. If you employ fewer than 50 employees, your staging date will be between 1^st June 2015 and 1^st April 2017.  Do you know your date?  How do you find out what it is?  What steps do you need to take and when?  We can help you, contact ConciseHR today – info@concisehr.co.uk

The right to request flexible working will be extended to cover all employees after 26 weeks’ service, rather than just parents with children under 17 years, or 18 in the case of a disabled child, and certain carers.  Staff will be restricted to making one application a year, and employers still have the right to refuse requests on business grounds.   Employers need to be looking at their internal policies and procedure to ensure they comply with the new provisions.  This significant extension could also pose risk for employers who may face discrimination claims if one flexible working request is seen to have not been treated as fairly as another.