Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald has said confirmation from the Economy Minister that she intends to bring forward legislation in the north that will ensure furloughed workers losing their jobs will be eligible for redundancy pay based on their normal wages and not the furlough rate will provide important protection for workers.

The party’s economy spokesperson said: 

“Last week the British government brought forward legislation which will ensure furloughed workers losing their jobs will get their full pay-off and I wrote to the Economy Minister asking if she intended to do something similar here in the north. 

“This correspondence from the Minister outlining that she intends to bring forward similar legislation will help provide important protection for furloughed workers who are facing redundancy as they will be eligible for redundancy pay based on their normal wages and not the furlough rate.  

“While this may be cold comfort to any workers losing their job, it is important that workers get their full entitlements. 

“I also called on her to further improve redundancy pay and entitlements by introducing legislation which would provide redundancy payments of three weeks’ pay per year of service for all age groups and to calculate redundancy payments to include regular overtime payments.”