April saw increases in the potential compensation tribunals can award, including guidelines on ‘injury to feelings’ awards.

The beginning of April each year sees an increase to a number of HR-related rates and limits. For example, the national minimum wage rates, the maximum compensation limits for unfair dismissal and the rates for SMP and other statutory pay have all gone up.

The April changes include increases to the “Vento bands” – guidelines for tribunals on how much injury to feelings compensation should be awarded in a discrimination claim, depending on the seriousness of the case.

As the name suggests, rather than reflecting any financial loss, an injury to feelings award compensates the person for the distress caused by the discrimination.

The top FAQ on Brightmine for April was updated to reflect the latest “Vento bands”. Another FAQ reflecting recent changes to compensation limits looks at the calculation of the basic award in unfair dismissal claims.

Two featured FAQs deal with questions around employees’ health: one on how much an employer can ask about a candidate’s health before employing them, and another on how to respond to advice provided on a fit note by an employee’s doctor.

Other FAQs look at the impact of salary sacrifice arrangements on the national minimum wage, and how to approach absence management where the absence is related to the employee’s disability.

1. Is there a limit on the compensation that can be awarded in a discrimination claim?

2. What is the unfair dismissal basic award?

3. Can employees carry over unused statutory annual leave to the next holiday year?

4. Can an employer ask a prospective employee to fill in a medical questionnaire?

5. Can an employer withdraw an employment offer that has been accepted, for example if there is a subsequent recruitment freeze?

6. Can a salary-sacrifice arrangement reduce an employee’s pay to below the national minimum wage rate?

7. Are employees entitled to be paid their full contractual pay on keeping-in-touch days?

8. Can an employer use its absence management procedure in relation to disability-related absence if this could result in disciplinary action?

9. Is an employer obliged to comply with the advice on a fit note?

10. Can an employer prevent an employee who is leaving the organisation from setting up a business in competition or working for a competitor?