November 08, 2011
National Minimum Wage (“NMW”) rates and age bands changed on 1 October 2011 as follows:
• £6:08 for workers aged 21 and over (up from £5:93);
• £4.98 for workers aged 18 to 20 (up from £4:92); and
• £3.68 for workers aged 16 to 17 (up from £3.64)
• Apprentices will be paid £2.60 per hour (up from £2.50)
As you may be aware, last year the Environment Secretary confirmed the Governments intention to abolish the Agricultural Workers Board (AWB). The abolition is anticipated to take place by the end of the year.
The abolition of the AWB will result in the repeal of the Agricultural Wages Order and all agricultural workers will thereafter be governed by the National Minimum Wage and Working Time Regulations. This change will mean that agricultural workers have only the same statutory protections available to all workers and employees. Allowances such as dog and bad weather payments, currently provided for under the AWO will not be covered by existing statutory protections. To date there are no proposals to introduce any further controls specifically in relation to agricultural workers, which may be a cause for concern.
However for the time being the minimum wage for Agricultural workers is still governed by the AWB and the Agricultural Wages Order 2011 came into force on the 1st of October.
The minimum wages for workers in Grades 1-6 are increased as follows:
• £3.05 for Initial workers of compulsory school age up from £2.98
• £6.10 for Initial workers above compulsory school age up from £5.95
• £6.77 for Standard Workers up from £6.58
• £7.45 for Lead Workers up from £7.24
• £7.99 for Craft workers up from £7.76
• £8.46 for Supervisory workers up from £8.23
• £9.14 for Farm Managers up from £8.88
The Order also sees an increase in both the Dog Allowance and the accommodation offset.
Another major change taking place in employment law is the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 which came into force on 1 October 2011. The aim of these regulations is to allow temporary staff who work for a qualifying period of 12 weeks to receive the same basic working and employment conditions, including pay and holiday, as if they had been directly employed.
The Regulations are very complicated, and also highly controversial. Very good detail is, however, set out on the direct.gov website.
If you require more information on this or other aspects of Employment Law please contact Debra Wetters on 01295 204122, or e-mail her at dwetters@se-law.co.uk.
