Clause and Effect - April 2024 Employment Changes
Joanna Rose · Posted on: April 17th 2026 · read
6 April 2024
There were significant changes to Flexible Working, Carers Leave, Holiday calculations for variable hours workers, Protection from Redundancy and changes to consultation requirements for TUPE and redundancies.
More detailed information regarding these changes can be found in our February 2024, March 2024 newsletter and the Employment Law webinar available from our website.
Flexible Working Changes
The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 and Secondary legislation (The Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023) came into force in April 2024. With two years now passed these changes should be firmly embedded in your policies, procedures and employee handbooks, and reflected in how requests are handled in practice.
The updated framework introduced a revised ACAS Code of Practice and brought several important changes:
- Flexible Working became a day-one right for employees.
- Employees can submit 2 requests in a 12-month (rolling not calendar) period.
- Employers must consult with employees before rejecting a flexible working request.
- Request must be concluded within 2 months including any appeal.
Employees are no longer required to explain how their request would benefit the business. The responsibility now sits with the employer to demonstrate any legitimate grounds for refusal.
More details are available in the January 2024 newsletter.
For assistance, HR Solutions can create a Flexible Working policy, offer guidance on individual requests, and provide relevant template letters for flexible working request meetings.
Protection from Redundancy
The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023 modified the existing Employment Rights Act 1996 and introduced essential safeguards for a wider group of individuals during pregnancy or family leave.
The legislation amended the Employment Rights Act 1996 and significantly widened the scope of employees entitled to priority treatment in redundancy situations. In practical terms, employers are now required to offer suitable alternative vacancies (where available) to protected employees ahead of others at risk.
The protection applies to:
- Pregnancies notified to an employer on or after 6 April 2024.
- Maternity/adoption leave ending on or after 6 April 2024.
- Employees taking at least six weeks of shared parental leave which begins on or after 6 April 2024.
These changes strengthened job security during pregnancy and family leave by extending the period of priority status beyond the leave itself. Employers must ensure that protected employees are not disadvantaged or selected unfairly and that suitable alternative roles are properly considered before any dismissal for redundancy.
Ultimately, the consequence of noncompliance with these regulations could lead to claims of unfair dismissal and/ or discrimination being brought against employers.
More details are available in the March 2024 newsletter.
If you are considering a redundancy process it is essential to factor these protections into your consultation strategy from the outset. HR Solutions can support you in designing a fair and compliant redundancy process, including providing appropriate template documentation and practical guidance.
New Carer’s Leave Rights
The Carer’s Leave Regulations have been in force since 6 April 2024, giving employees with caring responsibilities a new statutory right to one week of unpaid leave per year.
This entitlement is available from day one of employment and should now be reflected in your policies and Employee Handbook.
Key points include:
- Employees are entitled to one week of unpaid time off (in a rolling 12-month period) to provide or arrange care for a dependent with long-term care needs.
- Time off can be either consecutive or non-consecutive half-days or full days.
- Employees should ensure that any requested leave is notified by at least twice the length of the requested leave, or three days if longer.
- A request can be deferred if it would unduly disrupt business operations.
- Protection against dismissal or other detriment for employees who have applied for leave.
More details are available in the January 2024 newsletter.
HR Solutions can review any existing policy you have in place or update your Employee Handbook to incorporate this and other regulation changes that came into force on 6 April 2024.
Simplified TUPE Consultation took effect
Since 6 April 2024, updates to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protections of Employment) Regulations have simplified consultation requirements for certain businesses.
Employers should ensure these changes are considered in any transfer process.
Key updates include:
- Businesses with fewer than 50 employees may now consult directly with employees if there are no existing employee representatives in place, rather than having to arrange elections for new employee representatives.
- Businesses of any size may now consult directly with employees (where no existing employee representatives are in place) where a transfer of fewer than ten employees is proposed.
- Employers may still choose to involve elected employee representatives if preferred, even in businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
These changes streamlined TUPE consultation requirements but still require careful planning to ensure compliance. More details are available in the March 2024 newsletter.
HR Solutions can review any existing policy your clients have in place or update their Employee Handbook to incorporate this and other regulation changes which came into force on 6 April 2024.
