The Chamber of Commerce is pleased to see the recent changes to reform Employment Tribunals and commends the government for updating this important piece of legislation.

Chamber board members have spent considerable time and resources working with the Ministry of Business and Employment and with Minister Costa over the last couple of years to ensure that the interests of our members, as well as those of all local employers, are upheld in as balanced a manner as possible and also to ensure that these reforms do not impose an unnecessary burden on them in terms of time and money.

We are particularly gratified that many of the changes and recommendations which were made by the Chamber such as detailed guidance on compensation, and detailed processes and forms to ensure delays are a thing of the past, were accepted by Minister Costa and have been adopted and incorporated into the reforms. The Chamber believes that any future disputes between an employee and employer will be able to be dealt with in a more efficient and even-handed manner without being unnecessarily costly.  The aspect of offering compulsory mediation to settle any dispute before resorting to trial is a welcome introduction.

The Chamber also welcomes the additional resources which the government has expended to make sure that the reforms are fully understood.  These include the training of tribunal chairpersons and the creation of a dedicated website to inform parties to a dispute about the tribunal process and the options open to them.

The Chamber will continue to work with the government on updating relevant pieces of legislation to ensure that the interests of our members are fully represented.

ENDS