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UK eVisa Rollout: Acceptance of BRPs Expiring on 31 December 2024. Previously, the Government planned to phase out immigration permission by 1 January 2025, with most BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) and BRC (Biometric Residence Card) cards set to expire on 31 December 2024. The original advice was for individuals to apply for an eVisa by this date. However, on 4 December 2024, the UK Government announced a change: 👉 BRPs expiring on 31 December 2024 will now be accepted for travel to the UK until at least 31 March 2025, provided the individual’s permission is still valid when re-entering the UK. While this extension provides breathing room, it’s essential to act promptly: ✅ Encourage BRP holders in your workforce to apply for an eVisa online as soon as possible. Waiting could lead to potential complications with viewing and proving immigration status, which could impact both employees and your business operations.

MPs Push for Right to Paid Leave After Miscarriage: While many employers offer paid leave after miscarriage as a discretionary benefit, the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) is advocating for it to become a statutory right. The committee highlights the importance of granting employees much-needed "time to grieve." At present, statutory parental bereavement leave, including pay, is only available for stillbirths occurring after 24 weeks of pregnancy. However, there is no specific provision for losses before this point, such as miscarriage. The proposed reforms would extend to various types of pregnancy loss, including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, IVF embryo transfer loss, and termination for medical reasons. Learn more about these proposed changes here: https://lnkd.in/e79mNbJZ

⚖️Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Bill Introduced. On 7th January, MP Alex McIntyre introduced a Bill to grant victims of domestic abuse up to 10 days of paid “safe leave” per year. The Second Reading is set for 20th June. This proposal aims to support victims in addressing safety, health, childcare, and legal matters, following a similar law in Northern Ireland yet to be implemented. 📊 4.6% of people aged 16+ experienced domestic abuse last year, according to ONS data. McIntyre emphasised the need to make workplaces safer for victims, calling this Bill “a step towards better support.”

𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮 '𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁' 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗮𝘆? Statutory Sick Pay, currently £116.75 and set to rise to £118.74 on 6 April 2025, is the minimum amount employers must pay. Some employers may pay more, but if they do, this must be specified in the contract or workplace policy. The policy should also state whether the first three days of sickness absence are paid or unpaid. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗦𝗣 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 The Government aims to modernise the SSP framework. Currently, when an employee/worker is off sick, they are only entitled to SSP from day four of their sickness absence and must earn £123 a week or more to qualify. Both of these requirements will be removed – meaning employees will be entitled to SSP 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. A consultation on the changes to SSP closed on 4 December 2024. For employers: Now is the time to review your current policies. Assess your sick pay and absence management policies to determine what changes will be necessary. Avensure can support you with advice and documents to proactively manage absence.

TSF Healthcare Solutions, we can’t wait to see you at tomorrow’s Avensure webinar on Fire Safety Management and Risk Assessments! Excited to hear your key takeaways and the actions you’ll take to keep safety and compliance front and centre. 🧯 #FireSafety #HealthAndSafety #FireWebinar

🧹#NationalCleanYourDeskDay is the perfect chance to remind your team that a tidy desk plays a crucial role in maintaining workplace safety. A cluttered workspace can lead to several health and safety hazards: 🚨 Fire Risks: Boxes, papers, and other items can block emergency exits or fuel a fire. 🚑 Trip Hazards: Loose cables, stacked files, and stray objects increase the risk of slips, trips, and falls. 🦠 Hygiene Issues: Clutter makes cleaning more difficult, allowing dust and germs to accumulate, which can lead to illness. Remember, good health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. While employers are legally responsible for health and safety in the workplace, self-employed people and employees also have important obligations. Health and Safety doesn’t have to be complicated. A bit of decluttering today can help you avoid costly accidents tomorrow. If you need expert guidance on maintaining a safe workplace or want support with your health and safety policies, Avensure can help. Take a look at our HS Protect service for tailored health and safety solutions: https://buff.ly/3qGpadl

📊 From the latest pay gap statistics to upcoming legislation changes 📜, our latest blog breaks down what employers need to know about equal pay.💡Discover the do’s and don’ts of managing pay discussions, the truth about pay secrecy clauses, and why transparency is key. 👇 Read the quick blog below👇

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸? By law, men and women must receive equal pay for doing 'equal work'. Yet, women still earn £631 less than men each month, on average. In 2024, Equal Pay Day fell on 20th November—marking when women, on average, are working for free for the rest of the year (Fawcett Society).📊 Tomorrow (11th January 2025) is International Parity at Work Day—a global day promoting equitable pay in all workplaces. 🌍 Keep an eye out for our upcoming blog on LinkedIn, where we dive deeper into this important topic.

Our article could save your business from unnecessary payouts – Find out the truth ➡️ https://buff.ly/426Jcy1.