Case & Management Information
- Claims
- Business/Commercial
- Commercial Disputes
- Debt Recovery
- Employment
- Family/Divorce
- Lender Services
- Property Commercial
- Property Residential
- Tax Returns/Planning
- Wills/Trusts/Estates
Bookmarks
Tougher penalties for bad employers
19/12/2007
Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland should see fewer claims from employees after a new employment bill has been published to ensure bosses are fairer.
Even if businesses do exploit or discriminate against employees, solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland will be able to press for heavier penalties against bad bosses.
Under the proposed legislation, fines for employers who do not pay staff the minimum wage would be higher and employment agencies that try to exploit workers would face unlimited fines.
Pat McFadden, employment relations minister, said: "These changes would make sure everyone who is caught not paying their workers will be punished. No business should be allowed to get away with unfairly undercutting legitimate operations by exploiting workers."
In addition, dispute resolution would be simplified, with many statutory procedures removed and replaced by systems designed to encourage a more informal resolution.
Mr McFadden said the legislation would "ease burdens for businesses and employees" and "ensure there is no discrimination in employees' rights".
Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, commented: "The bill will get rid of much of the unnecessary red tape in workplace grievances and disciplinary procedures. It will ensure that workers who have been caught out by the complicate process of applying to take grievances to a tribunal and who have made minor technical mistakes along the way are no longer barred for getting their cases heard."
Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland have seen the current statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures in place since 2004.
Contact us for legal advice
Even if businesses do exploit or discriminate against employees, solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland will be able to press for heavier penalties against bad bosses.
Under the proposed legislation, fines for employers who do not pay staff the minimum wage would be higher and employment agencies that try to exploit workers would face unlimited fines.
Pat McFadden, employment relations minister, said: "These changes would make sure everyone who is caught not paying their workers will be punished. No business should be allowed to get away with unfairly undercutting legitimate operations by exploiting workers."
In addition, dispute resolution would be simplified, with many statutory procedures removed and replaced by systems designed to encourage a more informal resolution.
Mr McFadden said the legislation would "ease burdens for businesses and employees" and "ensure there is no discrimination in employees' rights".
Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, commented: "The bill will get rid of much of the unnecessary red tape in workplace grievances and disciplinary procedures. It will ensure that workers who have been caught out by the complicate process of applying to take grievances to a tribunal and who have made minor technical mistakes along the way are no longer barred for getting their cases heard."
Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland have seen the current statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures in place since 2004.
Contact us for legal advice
