21 July 2025
New laws to strengthen employee protections and increase compensation for those
whose employment rights have been breached will come into effect on Friday 25 July
2025.
The changes, approved by the States Assembly in April, follow recommendations made
by the Jersey Employment Forum and are aimed at ensuring fairer protection for
employees.
Key changes include:
- Doubling the maximum award for breach of an employee’s statutory rights from
four to eight weeks’ pay
- Increasing the compensation period for unfair dismissal from five years to 15
years or more
- Raising the maximum award for financial loss and hurt or distress in
discrimination cases from ÂŁ10,000 to ÂŁ30,000
- Introducing a new requirement for employers to provide written reasons when
dismissing an employee.
The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham said: “These changes are
an important step in providing more appropriate levels of compensation for employees
who have their employment rights breached. They are also designed to encourage
employers to ensure they comply with the law.
"The vast majority of employers are good
employers and have nothing to fear from these changes, but it’s important we send a
clear message that the worst forms of poor treatment of employees will now carry an
increased financial risk.”
These legislative changes form part of the Government of Jersey’s continued efforts to
ensure fairness and protection in the workplace.​