The Social Security (Contributions), Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Sick Pay (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations amend the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1979, the Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1982, the Statutory Sick Pay (Mariners, Airmen and Persons Abroad) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1982 and the Statutory Maternity Pay (Persons Abroad and Mariners) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987.

These Regulations make provision enabling statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay to be paid to employees (including mariners and airmen) who go outside Northern Ireland for any purpose; and reduce the extent of the records an employer is required to maintain (regulations 2, 3, 4 and 5).

As regards statutory sick pay alone the Regulations also make provision reducing the time limit within which an employee may notify his employer of sickness absence where there is good cause for delay; and introduce flexibility into the manner in which, and the time limit within which, an employer is required to provide information to his employees (regulations 2 and 3).

The Regulations make a transitional provision in respect of women whose expected weeks of confinement fall before 18th August 1996 (regulation 6).

The Regulations also make consequential revocations (regulation 7).

These Regulations correspond to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Social Security in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.