▁period ▁of ▁one ▁year ▁under ▁the ▁Emp loyment ▁Prote ction ▁( Cons olid ation ) ▁Act ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁section ▁ 6 4 ( 1 ). ▁ ▁E lias ▁Q C ▁represented ▁the ▁government ▁and ▁Allen ▁Q C ▁represented ▁the ▁employees . ▁Before ▁the ▁conclusion ▁of ▁the ▁lit ig ation , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁newly ▁elected ▁Labour ▁government ▁reduced ▁the ▁qual ifying ▁period ▁for ▁unf air ▁dismiss al ▁from ▁two ▁years ▁to ▁one ▁year , ▁currently ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁Emp loyment ▁Rights ▁Act ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁section ▁ 1 0 8 . ▁ ▁Jud gment ▁ ▁Court ▁of ▁App e al ▁The ▁Court ▁of ▁App e al ▁held ▁that ▁under ▁the ▁Equ al ▁Tre at ment ▁Direct ive , ▁a ▁two - year ▁qual ifying ▁period ▁for ▁unf air ▁dismiss al ▁was ▁indirect ly ▁disc rimin atory , ▁and ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Emp loyment ▁had ▁failed ▁to ▁prove ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁an ▁objective ▁just ification ▁for ▁the ▁dispar ate ▁impact . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁unclear ▁that ▁compens ation ▁for ▁unf air ▁dismiss al ▁was ▁" pay " ▁within ▁the ▁meaning ▁of ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Community , ▁article ▁ 1 1 9 , ▁and ▁so ▁it ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁grant ▁relief . ▁The ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁appe aled . ▁ ▁House ▁of ▁L ords ▁Lord ▁Hoff mann , ▁giving ▁judgment ▁for ▁the ▁whole ▁House , ▁said ▁that ▁while ▁it ▁was ▁clear ▁that ▁under ▁the ▁Direct ive , ▁which ▁had