Welcome to our latest Coffee Break in which we look at the latest legal and practical developments for UK employers.

Increase in compensation limits announced

Legislation has been laid before Parliament setting out the annual increase in employment tribunal compensation limits and statutory payments where the relevant date for the purposes of calculating the award falls on or after 6 April 2022:

• A week's pay for calculating the unfair dismissal basic award and statutory redundancy payments will increase from 544 to 571.
• The maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal will increase from 89,493 to 93,878 (or 12 months' salary if lower). There is no cap on compensation where an employee is dismissed for whistleblowing or carrying out health and safety activities.

Covid 19 Update

As employers adapt their working practices in light of the ending of the legal requirement to self-isolate and the government's Living with Covid plan, coupled with the latest updated guidance, employers should note the following:

• From 17 March the revisions to the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rules put in place for the Covid-19 pandemic will no longer be available. Instead, the position on SSP will revert to pre-pandemic rules where it will only be payable from day four of an absence and where an employee is too unwell to work. Coupled with these changes, where an employer can benefit from the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme, only absences up to 17 March 2022 will be covered: with employers...

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