Lay offs

An employer has the right to lay off an employee without pay in circumstances when there is no work for the employee to do or where there is a particular situation which requires a lay-off such as the need to close the premises for a refurbishment.

Wherever reasonably possible, lay-off arrangements should be communicated in advance to employees who are affected.  Any lay-off will not be put into effect for an unreasonably long period of time.

Employers can normally only enforce a lay-off situation when they have a contractual clause with their employees to do so.