2 Year Qualifying Period for Unfair Dismissal Likely To Be For New Employees Only
By Gail Escolme, 18 January 2012 –
On 6 April 2012 the qualifying period for unfair dismissal will increase from one to two years. BIS has now confirmed that, subject to Parliamentary approval, the new two-year qualifying period will only apply to employees whose employment begins on or after 6 April 2012. Those who are already in employment before that date will retain the current one-year qualifying period. The Conservative government adopted the same approach in 1985 when increasing the qualifying period to two years.