October Employment Law Changes

1 October will see the implementation of a number of employment law changes:

National minimum wage rates will be increased as follows:

• Apprentices: £2.68 per hour
• Age 16-17: £3.72 per hour
• Age 18-20: £5.03 per hour
• Age 21+: £6.31 per hour

Abolition of third-party harassment: employers will no longer be directly liable for the harassment of employees by third parties (although employees could have alternative legal claims in such circumstances).

Agricultural workers: the current Agricultural Wages Order expires on 30 September 2013 and will not be replaced. This means there will be no set terms and conditions of employment for agricultural workers employed on or after 1 October 2013.