Significant reduction in Employment Tribunal claims

On 13 March 2014, the Ministry of Justice announced that there has been a seventy-nine per cent reduction of new Employment Tribunal claims being brought in the last quarter of 2013 since the introduction of tribunal fees.

The new fee regime requires parties to pay an upfront fee to raise a claim with a further ‘hearing fee’ once the case is referred to a tribunal.  It is likely  that the fees act as a deterrent on the weak and fictitious  claims that are sometimes brought  by employees.

The key message from this quarter’s Employment Tribunal statistics is that:

• There were 79% fewer claims received (9,801) in October to December 2013 compared to the claims received (45,710) in October to December 2012.
• There were 75% fewer claims received in October to December 2013 compared to the claims received (38,963) in July to September 2013.
• There were 63% fewer age discrimination claims, 58% fewer disability discrimination claims, 57% fewer race discrimination claims, 77% fewer sex discrimination claims, and 65% fewer unfair dismissal claims received in October to December 2013 compared to the claims received in October to December 2012

From next month, those with employment disputes will have to contact Acas, the government-funded conciliation service, before they actually bring a tribunal claim. This will give parties an additional month in which to reach a settlement outside of the tribunal process.

To view the MOJ’s statistics, please click here.

If you require any more information in regards to making a claim in the Employment Tribunal, please contact our employment solicitors on 020 3950 5234 or info@rllaw.co.uk