Leading unfair dismissal experts Your Employment Matters comments on government plans to extend the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims to two years.
The decision will see the qualification period for the right to claim unfair dismissal extended from 12 months to two years. The move will mean that an unfair dismissal claim can only be made after working for the same employer for two years. It will come into force on 6 April 2012 and is likely to have a considerable impact on future unfair dismissal claims.

The reforms mean that workers will now have to foot the bill for unfair dismissal claims if they want to bring the claim forward before the two year period.

The fees payable for lodging tribunal claims are still under consultation, though under the new proposals a claimant will have to pay £250 for lodging a claim and a further £1,000 if the case goes to a hearing. There is no obligation to do at present.

Caroline Harper from Your Employment Matters says;

“There...