Employers and potential employees need to take note of a change in the qualifying period required for unfair dismissal laws to apply. New unfair dismissal laws, which mean employees cannot qualify for the right until completing two years’ of service come into effect on 6 April 2012. However, the new regulations will not be applied retrospectively, so employees starting work before 6 April 2012 will continue to be able to claim unfair dismissal after only one year's service. This could mean employers delaying recruiting new employees until after 6 April.

Says Graeme Bellenger, a partner specialising in employment law at Kidd Rapinet’s London office "The extended qualifying period has been brought in to kick-start the UK’s employment markets, in the hope that it will lift the red tape burden faced by employers."

Announcing the doubling of the qualifying period in October, Business Secretary Vince Cable said that businesses have told the government that unfair dismissal rules are a major barrier to taking on more people.

Graeme Bellenger comments: "The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills claims the aim of the policy is to encourage recruitment and it does not believe that it is appropriate or necessary to apply it to those already in work."

If you feel you may need advice Kidd Rapinet can advise you on the latest law in this field. Call Graeme Bellenger on 020 7024 8064 for further information.