Labour Research May 2003

Law Queries

Law Queries

Is it the law that an employee is entitled to 12 weeks' notice over any change to a contract?

It is not the case that an employer can change contracts simply by giving notice of the change.

The effect of giving the notice is to terminate one contract and to then offer a new contract on different terms. Doing this means that technically any employee with a year's service could resign and claim constructive, unfair dismissal, if the change fundamentally breached the contract.

* More information: LRD booklet, Contracts of employment