Beware of dangerous new employment changes

Last weeks conservative party conference saw George Osbourne announce dramatic and dangerous new changes for uk employment law to be introduced from as early as April 2012.

These changes include fees for lodging a tribunal claim of £250 and a further £1000 for a claim being taken to a full tribunal hearing. Fees have never before been charged to any applicant bringing a case against their employer.

Other dramatic changes include increasing the qualifying employment period to bring a claim of unfair dismissal from one year to two.

The reasons behind the changes have been published as being assisting young people to get into the workforce and to remove the cumbersome process for employers to get rid of non productive staff. However, the governments plans seem I’ll thought out to say then least. Whilst it is revealed that those bringing claims to tribunal who have been employed between 12months and 24 months account for only 12% of tribunal claims so clearly the amount of applications being saved no where near outway the disruption to the workforce and invites total instability ton the workforce.

But the danger doesn’t stop there! Due the government increasing the situations in which discrimination claims can be brought to tribunal, which doesn’t need any qualifying period, this is not only give false sense of security to employers who are being given the false message that to dismiss an employee with under two years continuity of employment is now fine but this policy also increases the number of discrimination cases before chairman of tribunals that carries heavier fines and risk of compensation.

Whilst only time will tell how these changes will effect the job Market, stability in the workplace and the number of claims before the tribunals it certainly looks set to be a confusing time for employers but the message is to always take advice before dismissing anyone.

Direct Law & Personnel have been appointed employment law experts for Deliciously Yorkshire and have agreed to take calls and give free advice on any employment law subject to Deliciously Yorkshire. They can be reached on 08448156151 and you should quote ‘delicious’.