40% Increase in Tribunal Claims

ACAS’s recently published annual report confirms that there has been a 40% rise in the number of Employment Tribunal claims being lodged in the past year.

Comment

These figures reflect the year-on-year increase in claims being brought in the Employment Tribunal since the abolition of tribunal fees in July 2017. The knock-on effect of this increase is being felt. A recent Employment Lawyers Association survey reported a marked increase in final hearings being listed over a year after the claim has been issued, as well as an increase in delays to the service of claims.

Employers should be aware of the increased propensity of employees to bring claims and, due to delays at Employment Tribunal, it will likely take longer to bring claims to a conclusion should they go all the way to a final hearing.