Employment rights – new limits on payments

New limits on certain payments to workers will come into operation from 7 March 2010 following an order made by the Department for Employment and Learning.

The revised limits relate to:certain employment rights, including the limit on the amount of compensatory award for unfair dismissal;the minimum amount of compensation awarded by industrial tribunals, where the individual has been unlawfully expelled from a union in contravention of Article 38 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1995; andthe limit on amount of guarantee payment payable to an employee in respect of any day.

Commenting on the new limits, a spokesperson for the Department said: "Legislation adjusting limits relating to a range of employment rights is made annually to reflect changes in the rate of inflation as measured by the Retail Prices Index (RPI)."

Notes to editors:

1. Article 33 of the Employment Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 provides that the limits on various awards and payments under employment legislation will be index-linked, i.e. will be varied by Order if the Retail Prices Index (RPI) for September of a year is higher or lower than the index of the previous September.

2. The new limits reflect changes in the RPI between September 2008 and September 2009 (-1.4% - source: ONS, all items RPI).

3. The Department for Employment and Learning is legally required to make the Order and to bring the revised limits into operation as soon as practicable. The changes being made involve no changes to the structure of awards and other payments, or to employers’ management systems.

4. An employee who is not provided with work throughout a day on which he or she would normally be required to work may be entitled to a guarantee payment. Further information on guarantee payments can be found in the DEL publication 'ER 14 Guarantee Payments' available to view and download at the website

5. Printed copies of the Order are available from the Stationery Office, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast. The Order, which contains a table showing the increase in limits, can be viewed online at http://www.opsi.gov.uk

6. All media enquiries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned