Support for redundancy law reform ebbs away
Thursday 23 August 2012
Two out of three Dutch people oppose plans to make it easier to sack people and say it is not the best way to help the country out of the economic crisis, according to a TNS Nipo poll for the Financieele Dagblad.
The five-party spring budget agreement drawn up earlier this year includes provisions to allow firms to sack staff without official permission. Workers will then have to go to court to fight their dismissal.
Currently, companies have to apply either to the district courts or to the UWV state benefit agency for permission to sack staff with a permanent contract.
Compensation
The plans also include a sharp reduction in the size of cash compensation packages which will be maximised at half a year's salary. In addition, the money will have to be used for retraining and other efforts to find a job.
The plans have created controversy and critics say it will be much cheaper to sack older workers, leading to a sharp increase in unemployment among the over-50s.
According to the TNS Nipo poll, just 25% of people now support the plans. Among supporters of the right-wing VVD, which has championed the changes, the measures have 51% support.
An earlier poll by television current affairs show EenVandaag showed 83% of employers back the proposals.
© DutchNews.nl
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A permanent contract should not give a person a right to a job "forever" I find it sad that a company has to get permission to sack a person when he/she is abusing their job.
By Dee | 23 August 2012 4:48 PM83% of employers support the plans.
By Donaugh | 23 August 2012 5:20 PMGosh, that's a surprise!
If one doesn't have to justify sacking someone, and a compensation package is limited to 6 months salary which has to be used for retraining, then it is obvious that this is a great way to get rid of someone with 25 years service. Ageism is being given the rubber stamp of approval by MPs, who presently get a full paid salary for many years after they leave parliament. When this becomes law, will MPs be given only 6 months salary to retrain and no more?
By jaycee | 23 August 2012 7:00 PM