Firms warned over looming job losses

Firms which have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic are being warned to stick to the law if they have to make people redundant.

The advice follows a survey in which a third of employers said they are likely to make redundancies before the end of the year–with staff often told over a video or phone call.

The study, by con ciliation service Acas, says the prospect of future job losses is higher among larger businesses, with three pit of five firms in this category saying they could wield the axe.

The findings come from a survey of more than 2,000 employers and indicated that one in four were unaware of the law around consulting staff before making redundancies.

For businesses that are likely to make redundancies, over a quarter said they plan to do this re - motel y over video chat or a phone call.

Acas chief executive Susan Clews said :" Ac as advice for boss es is to exhaust all possible alternatives to redundancies first but if they feel they have no choice, then they must follow the law in this area.

"Our survey reveals that a third of small bu sinesses do not know about their legal responsibilities on consulting staff when considering redundancies.

"It is important for them to act responsibly and follow our advice or they could be subject to a costly legal process ."

Ac as pointed out that if an employer finds there are no other choices than to make redundancies, there are strict rules on consulting staff they must follow.