Workers' rights bill standoff continues after Lords defeat - RocketNews

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

52% : six months.Following talks between major industry bodies and unions, the government also committed to scrapping limits on compensation for financial loss in ordinary unfair dismissal cases.Currently, awards to former employees who successfully bring a claim are limited to either their annual salary or £118,223, whichever is lower.This would bring the process more into line with "automatic" unfair dismissal cases - where workers have been sacked for reasons such as discrimination and whistleblowing - where financial loss awards are uncapped.'Recipe for the rich'On Wednesday evening, peers voted by 244 votes to 220 for a Tory proposal which would require the government to review compensation limits before scrapping them.During the debate, Tory shadow business minister Lord Sharpe argued uncapped compensation would benefit higher-paid workers, adding: "This policy is a recipe for the rich and a wrecking of justice for working people."
52% : While he welcomed changes on rights to unfair dismissal, the peer said the government's new proposals on compensation limits had been brought forward "at the 11th hour" without any consultation.Lord Sharpe insisted calling for a review was "not obstruction" but "the bare minimum that a competent administration should undertake".Independent crossbench peer and entrepreneur Lord Londesborough said his email inbox was "awash with anger and indignation" from businesses over the government "sneaking in this clause on uncapped compensation"."It is anti-entrepreneurial, anti-enterprise and, I fear, a job destroyer," he added.'Undemocratic'Defending the move, Business Minister Baroness Lloyd said the current system incentivised claimants to allege discrimination, as this allowed uncapped compensation."These types of claims are more complex and take longer for the tribunal to handle," she said."Therefore, by our removing the compensation cap for ordinary unfair dismissal claims, this incentive will be lessened, making it easier for tribunals to reach a judgement more quickly and decreasing burdens on the system."She said the government had "worked collaboratively with employers and trade unions to find a compromise" and called on peers to allow the bill to progress so workers could benefit from the reforms without any further delay.
38% : 1 hour agoShareSaveBecky MortonPolitical reporterShareSaveGetty ImagesLabour's flagship law on workers' rights faces continuing deadlock after the House of Lords inflicted another defeat on the government.The setback comes just two weeks after ministers said they had reached a compromise between businesses and unions on the right to claim unfair dismissal.

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