RECENT redundancies could force the States to review employment laws to bring Guernsey into line with the UK and the rest of Europe.

Commerce and Employment will be be reviewing the issues over the coming weeks.

‘Naturally, redundancy will be covered in these discussions. Further comment will be made by the department once these deliberations have taken place,’ said a spokesman.

That will not help the more than 70 people who were put out of work following the collapse of Woolworths but could safeguard employees in the future.

There is some legislation in place. If an employee feels they have been unfairly dismissed they can take their plea to an industrial tribunal and be awarded up to six months’ salary. In the UK, there is no upper limit.

‘We have got a degree of employment protection in one sense but if a company closes down in the UK, assuming the firm has money when it goes into administration, employees will get a redundancy payout,’ said Advocate Mark Dunster (pictured).