Also known as the National Minimum Wage, the NMW is the minimum amount of pay employers are lawfully permitted to pay their workers. The minimum wage has different rates for different ages (no this does not contravene the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006). Rates are split in to three bands - 16-17 year olds, 18-21 year olds and 22+.
The NMW applies to workers, not just employees. This means that some people who are self employed, at least for tax purposes, such as building contracters working under CIS arrangements, may benefit from the right to be paid the NMW.
The NMW is reviewed every year and changes in October. Current rates and allowances can be found here.
A limited reduction in the rate of the NMW applies to employers who provide employees with accomodation. However, the reduction is generally less than the cost of providing the accomodation. This is known as accomodation allowance and the rates are available from the Berr website.
Negligence is essentially the carelessness of an individual which is sufficient to amount to a breach of duty.
The legal test is based on the actions of the “reasonable person” who represents the average responsible individual within our society.
Therefore the actions of the individual accused of acting in a negligent manner will be compared to those of the reasonable person to ascertain whether they are deemed to have acted in a negligent manner.
When the contract of employment is brought to an end by the employer, the employee is entitled to receive notice of termination of employment. The only exception is in the case of dismissal for Gross Misconduct where dismissal is without notice.
The length of notice is either contractual or statutory notice. The notice can be either:
1. Worked
2. Served on Garden Leave
3. Paid under a PILON.
When it is the employee who wishes to terminate the contract of employment, they need to serve notice on the employer, which is as determined by either; the contract of employment, custom and practice or what is reasonable.
