Tribunal cases rise by 65%

By Thom Ogier

Mark Palfrey THE number of employment tribunal cases in Guernsey has rocketed.

Commerce and Employment said the number it considered, which usually concerned unfair dismissal and discrimination claims, increased by 65% in 2009.

That was probably as a consequence of the troubled financial climate for businesses of all sorts, according to the department.

But some organisations, such as Guernsey Building Trades Employers Association president Mark Palfrey (pictured), believed the system is somewhat heavy-handed for Guernsey, while others called it necessary and fair.

‘I think that with high employment in Guernsey the power is with the employee anyway,’ he said.

‘As an employer, if you are unreasonable with your staff you won’t survive long here at all.

‘The spirit of the law would be to protect the vulnerable, but you do get cases where senior employees can use it to try to get more from their former employer, and that leaves a bad taste.’