Petition · Department for Work and Pensions
Amend ERA 1996: replace the ‘reasonable responses’ test with objective fairness
Open for signatures
25 signatures
What the petition asks
Amend Section 98(4) of the ERA 1996 to end the 'Range of Reasonable Responses'. Employers and tribunals should be legally required to judge the objective merits of a worker’s intervention in emergency or crime situations.
We believe section 98(4) of the ERA 1996 lets firms too easily sack staff for technical breaches during crises. This prioritises rigid policy over human safety. Employers use 'safety protocols' and 'potential disrepute' as catch-all excuses to sack often heroic employees who intervene in thefts, violent crimes, or life-saving incidents. We believe the Government must mandate independent appeals and shift the legal test from a boss's 'belief' to the objective necessity of a worker's intervention to prevent harm.
Timeline
| 9 Mar 2026 | Petition opened for signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
25
Status
Open for signatures
Department
Department for Work and Pensions
Opened
9 Mar 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.