Sacked managers and released players gain protection
Employment Rights Act changes happen in January
Premier League and EFL clubs will be more vulnerable to unfair dismissal claims from sacked managers and released players from next year after changes to employment law. Under the Employment Rights Act (ERA), which comes into effect on 1 January, employees will gain protection from unfair dismissal after six months rather than two years of service.
In another significant change, the cap on compensation awards at employment tribunals of 118,223 will be removed, giving dismissed managers and players a far greater incentive to bring a claim.
A combination of the requirement for two years’ service and modest payouts have protected clubs from unfair dismissal claims, but that could change from next year.
The League Managers Association and Professional Footballers’ Association have discussed the potential benefits of the ERA for their members in meetings with the leagues and clubs but are waiting to assess its impact.
Antonio Conte brought an unfair dismissal case against Chelsea on an apparent point of principle after he was sacked in 2018. After winning his claim he was awarded 85,000 by the London employment tribunal, on top of the 26.6m the club had paid the Italian and his coaching staff in compensation as per their contracts.
Joe McMorrow, a partner in the employment law practice at Pinsent Masons, said the ERA would probably have major consequences for football clubs...
Grace Kang has worked as an attorney specializing in intellectual property and business law for 20 years, the last 16 in the greater Los Angeles area. A graduate of Stanford Law School, she said h...