Unions’ fears over job protection laws

One in four workers are vulnerable to unfair dismissal because of a lack of basic employment protections if they lose their jobs in the coming months, union leaders have warned.

The TUC says 7.5million employees have no protection from unfair dismissal because of the law which says workers must be employed for two years to qualify.

People in industries hit hardestby the pandemic – hospitality and retail - are most at risk of missing out on protections, said the TUC.

The study suggests nearly half of hospitality staff and a third of people in the retail, wholesale and vehicle repair sector have not been in their jobs long enough to qualify for unfair dismissal rights.

All employees should have unfair dismissal rights from day one in a job, urged the union organisation.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "The Government must do everything possible to stop mass unemployment.

"This includes strengthening protections at work so people can' t be sacked unfairly. No-one should be treated like disposable labour.

"If the Government is serious about levelling up Britain it must level up workers' rights. People shouldn't have to wait for two years to be protected from unfair dismissal. There should be day one rights."

A Government spokesman said: "Our Plan for Jobs sets out a package of measures to support jobs in every part of the country, giving businesses the confidence to retain and hire.

"Qualifying periods for unfair dismissal claims aim to strike the right balance betweenfairness for employees and flexibility for employers .”