Fire & rehire: on the way out?

• The government is consulting on a new statutory code of practice on dismissal and re-engagement.
• If approved, it will build on existing legal protections for staff who are dismissed and offered re-engagement on new terms and conditions.

Billed as an encouragement to manage change ‘in a more balanced and collaborative way’ the draft Code of Practice on dismissal and re-engagement offers an eight-section guide for employers wishing to implement changes to terms and conditions.

The government promised to develop a new statutory code last year as part of its response to the P&O Ferries dismissal controversy, when 800 UK-based seafarers were dismissed without warning to make space for lower paid agency staff.

Scope of the code

The code would apply if an employer wishes to make changes to terms and conditions and envisages that, if the employees don’t agree, it might dismiss them and either offer them re-engagement