“We broadly welcome these proposals as the law in this area strongly favours employees and their representatives which can lead to prolonged periods of uncertainty. This needs to be rebalanced and greater emphasis placed upon the protection of employment for all workers. The 90 day consultation period can delay the resolution of redundancy consultations and employers will welcome a move to 30 or 45 days.
“However, we are disappointed at the decision not to consider the position of Protective Awards, which are an un-necessary example of gold plating and a disproportionate penalty for employers. They do little to encourage swift and flexible settlement and are out of step with the median level of awards for other forms of claim.”