Tory minister criticises employment laws

Mon 3 Nov 2008

A high-ranking member of the Conservatives has promised to fight for HR against a so-called "grotty" employment tribunal system.

Speaking in an interview with Personnel Today, shadow business secretary Alan Duncan said that under the Conservatives, legislation that makes those working in HR jobs harder would be cut.

"Under me, HR directors would have improvements in employment law and employment tribunals, which directly affect them," he commented.

"Tribunals never award costs to the person who applied, but they should. They don't even apply the existing rules."

He added that there were a number of "frivolous, malicious complaints" that were not "justified in any respect whatsoever".

Also coming under his criticism was the Agency Workers Directive that gives temporary workers in the UK equal rights to permanent staff.

The new laws were approved by the European Parliament last month, and see all temporary workers receive equal status with permanent staff after 12 weeks.

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