March employment round-up 

Neonatal Care and Pay Leave 

A reminder that the right to take additional leave in respect of babies requiring neonatal care comes into force on 6 April 2025, applying to parents of babies born on or after that date.  

The final regulations setting out the new right to leave, and to receive pay (for eligible employees) were made on 20 March 2025.  

The new right will allow parents to take up to 12 weeks of additional leave, if their child requires a minimum of seven days of neonatal care within 28 days of birth. It is a ‘day one’ right for employees, with no minimum service requirement. However, the additional leave is only paid (at the statutory rate) for those with a minimum of 26 weeks’ service by the end of the 15^th week before the expected week of childbirth. 

For further details of the new right and how it will operate in practice, see our recent article. 

Increase to statutory payments and tribunal awards – April 2025 

A reminder that National Minimum Wage rates increase with effect from 1 April 2025: 

In addition, the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2025 increases compensation limits and tribunal awards with effect from 6 April 2025: 

• A statutory week’s pay increases from £700 to £719. 

• The minimum basic award for certain unfair dismissals increases from £8,533 to £8,763. 

• The maximum basic award for unfair dismissal (and the maximum statutory redundancy payment) increases from £21,000 to £21,570. 

• The maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal increases from £115,115 to £118,223. 

Statutory sick pay increases to £118.75 per week and statutory maternity pay, plus pay for other family leave entitlements, increases to £187.18 per week.  

For further details of the increased statutory payments and tribunal awards taking effect from April 2025 see our table. 

Acas neurodiversity campaign 

Acas has launched a new campaign to improve understanding and support for neurodivergent workers. The campaign intends to equip employers with the necessary resources and advice to help foster a culture of belonging and one where neurodivergent workers can thrive. The focus of the campaign is on the practical steps employers can take to make work environments more accessible. 

The campaign follows an independent report recently published by Acas on neurodiversity at work, written by researchers at Birkbeck, University of London. With around 15-20% of adults estimated to be neurodivergent, the report emphasises the importance for employers to conduct neurodiversity training and take proactive action to support neurodivergent employees. 

The report included the following findings: 

• Proactive support for neurodivergent employees and inclusive work environments can benefit everyone at work. 

• Mandatory and regularly updated neurodiversity training is key to promoting inclusive workplaces. 

• Line managers are pivotal in supporting neurodivergent employees, meaning it’s vital they have training. 

• Being proactive in making reasonable adjustments shouldn’t require a diagnosis or formal disclosure from staff. 

• Specialised adjustments may require balancing of individual and organisational needs. 

Alongside the Acas campaign, the Department for Work and Pensions has formed a new expert panel on neurodiversity and employment, to examine employment outcomes for neurodivergent people.  

The panel is expected to provide evidence-based recommendations later this year to inform workplace practices and policy. It will also explore barriers to employment and workplace success, effective employer actions to enhance inclusion and government policies that could drive systemic change. 

Remote and hybrid working – call for evidence 

A new House of Lords Committee on Home-based Working has published a ‘call for evidence’ as part of its inquiry into the effects and future development of remote and hybrid working in the UK.  

The inquiry will address the challenges and opportunities of remote and hybrid working for workers and employers, the impact of remote and hybrid working on productivity, and any wider consequences of remote and hybrid working for the UK economy and society. It will cover the extent to which these impacts vary depending on the characteristics of the worker or employer in question and consider any policies the UK Government could enact in this area. 

The call for evidence seeks submissions on a wide range of questions relating to remote and hybrid working, including: 

• The challenges and opportunities of remote and hybrid working for workers. 

• The impact of remote and hybrid working on individual physical and mental health. 

• The challenges and opportunities of remote and hybrid working for employers, including recruitment and retention. 

• How employer and worker needs can be balanced within the context of remote and hybrid working to ensure mutually beneficial employment arrangements. 

• The impact of remote and hybrid working on individual, organisational and national productivity and resilience. 

Note that submissions are invited on any or all of the topics listed in the call for evidence. The deadline for submissions is 25 April 2025, with the Committee due to report its findings by 30 November 2025.