TUC: Unfair dismissal law changes will not help the economy

Posted 03/04/2012

Changes to employment law could mean UK employees are at risk of losing their jobs.This is according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which claimed up to 2.7 million people could be affected by the government’s decision to increase the qualifying period for protection from unfair dismissal from one year to two.It has been suggested by the coalition that the change will help to boost recruitment and encourage growth among companies.However, the TUC disagreed and said it would create a “hire and fire culture”, as well as have a disproportionate effect on temporary and part-time workers, who could completely miss out on unfair dismissal protections.General secretary of the trade union Brendan Barber said: “Cutting back on protection against unfair dismissal will do nothing to boost the economy.”The change will come into effect this Friday (April 6th), which is also the same date that statutory sick pay will increase from £81.60 a week to £85.85.Posted by Ross Strowger