Employment Practices

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that employers do not use unfair and discriminatory practices when selecting people for redundancy.

Any discrimination when selecting people for redundancy would be not only wrong, but unlawful. Employees with the necessary qualifying service can bring a claim to an employment tribunal if they believe that they have been unfairly selected for redundancy.

Citizens Advice research shows that one worker in six is facing redundancy and that parents and carers of those who have shielded are twice as likely to be made redundant. Will the Minister now provide additional emergency resources for enforcement bodies to ensure that people are treated fairly, equally and safely during this extremely worrying time?

We work closely with the enforcement body to make sure that it can do its job and we resource it accordingly. We are also looking to the long term to see what more we can do for better enforcement in these matters.