Forrest Scene - August 2023
Edition 20 - August 2023
What happens to pension contributions during maternity leave?
As with many areas of employment law, pay during maternity leave can be a complicated area and there are significant regulations to consider.
When it comes to determining what happens to your pension contributions during maternity leave, unfortunately there is no definitive answer and this hasn’t been fully settled in the courts, however, we know that while wages and salary do not have to be provided during maternity leave, all other terms and conditions must continue as normal.
If salary is sacrificed for enhanced employer pension contributions, the amount sacrificed cannot, by definition, be salary. The employer is contractually bound to make pension contributions and that contribution must continue to be paid during maternity leave, both paid and unpaid. This would usually be at the full amount as it is considered a percentage of the ‘normal’ salary.
The employee taking the leave should be given the option to either continue with their contribution or put it on hold while they take their leave.
There is an opposing view in that it should reflect Statutory Maternity Pay, but this has not been fully tested in the tribunals.
For full protection, we advise that the employer should base the pension contributions on the normal contractual amounts for the purposes of salary sacrifice, and continue these throughout the entire period of maternity leave.
If you have a staff member going on maternity leave and wish to talk through your options, contact the experts today.
Do you have a cycle to work scheme in place?
Exercise like cycling, has a range of benefits for mental wellbeing so is a great benefit for employers to implement. It can also help:
– Reduce stress
– Reduce anxiety
– Allow calmer thinking
– Combat depression
– Increase self-esteem
The cycle-to-work scheme works by hiring a bike that the employer has purchased through a third party, and the employee repays them through salary sacrifice over an agreed period which is deducted monthly from the employees' salary.
Why should businesses use online payslips?
Businesses continue to digitalise processes and finance operations, and one way to do this includes moving towards the use of online payslips.
Unlike the paper versions, there’s no need to print off and post online payslips. Not only does this save on paper and postage but it also reduces manual staffing costs. Also, if you or your employees need to check historical data – this might be for HMRC or for a mortgage lender for example – the information will be available on the screen in seconds.
Outsourcing your payroll with Forrest Payroll provides you with access to an online portal which generates electronic payslips, saving you time and money. Contact us to find out more.
Management Training Programme
At Forrest Training Academy, not only do we provide people skills training on a number of topics as well as bespoke training, but we also offer a Management Training Programme, which is a consolidation of your choice of our management workshops, which can be chosen and tailored depending on what you want covered.
For example, it could cover Introduction to HR for Managers, an Introduction to Management and Communication Skills, a perfect combination for newly qualified managers or a refresher for the team in general.
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All topics can be tailored to suit your staff requirements. Get in touch today to discuss further.
5 minutes with our Head of Health and Safety
How long have you been working in Health and Safety?
Within the Construction sector, I became involved with health and safety in 1997, and it became my full-time career from 2004 onwards.
What services do you offer through Forrest Health & Safety?
We provide the support and assistance needed for companies to comply with health and safety law, reduce workplace accidents and function more profitably through sensible safety management.
We give clients the advice, training, and assistance they need to enable them to manage Health, Safety, Fire, Quality Management and Environmental Issues, so they can get on with running their businesses.
All Health and Safety representatives of our consultancy hold recognised professional qualifications combined with vast experience and are members of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management.
What service do you enjoy delivering the most? Which is the most rewarding?
From a personal and professional perspective, I find it rewarding to share my knowledge and provide assistance to companies to help reduce accidents, ill health and prevent loss.
I enjoy working with companies large and small that need ISO certifications, to develop and assist with the implementation of management systems.
What is the ideal client for Forrest Health & Safety?
Any Company or Director that is committed to health and safety. Also, Companies who wish to:
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Field sports, conservation and being in the countryside.
What’s next for Forrest Health & Safety?
This is an exciting time for Forrest Health & Safety as we develop our team of consultants, advisors, and training divisions, to enable us to secure long-term risk management benefits for new and existing customers.
Sophie recently returned to the Brilliant Businesses Podcast to discuss what’s changed in the last few years, how she’s moving into the London market and the progression she’s enjoying with business development.
Check it out here.
We are so pleased to announce that our new website is now live! Encompassing all 5 services that make up the Forrest Group. You can ‘meet the team’, as well as download all of our blogs and newsletters, take a look here.