Employment Protection for Agricultural Workers

Date Added: 31 January 2011

Notwithstanding the much publicised Equality Act that came into force on the 1st October 2010, the most important development for the Agricultural sector has been the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board.

The Agricultural Wages Board came into being as a result of the Agricultural Wages Act 1948 and its function, amongst others, was to produce the annual Agricultural Wages Order and that Order sets out more generous rates of pay for agricultural workers than for workers generally, but it also contains matters relating to holidays, overtime and sick pay.

It is expected that the Agricultural Wages Board will have disappeared by 30th September 2011 which is the expiry date of the existing Order.

The affects of this Abolition are very significant for farmers and agricultural workers who includes anybody working on the farm.

The changes are considerable and if you have any questions or problems with regard to employees or those working on your farms or in agriculture for you in relation to the changes that are taking place, then please do contact us as we can help you with this.

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