Forbes warns employers over increased employment tribunal threat

Forbes Solicitors has urged employers to protect themselves from the increased threat of being taken to an employment tribunal after the number of claims has more than doubled.

The large increase in single claims has followed the abolition of Employment Tribunal fees on July 26, 2017. It has prompted Forbes to offer dedicated advice on the issue during a HR Retreat seminar at Stanley House Hotel & Spa, Mellor, on Thursday September 27.

She said: “We have seen our employer clients exposed to a greater number of threatened and actual employment tribunal claims. The abolition of fees has meant that there is less of a disincentive for employees to bring claims, increasing the potential and actual exposure of employers.

The employment tribunal (ET) is an independent judicial body established to resolve disputes between employers and employees in relation to employment rights and hears claims such as unfair dismissal, discrimination, wage disputes and redundancy payments.

Emma added: “With early intervention by Forbes Solicitors to manage the legal aspects of employee disputes, our clients can minimise their exposure by ensuring that they have acted within the confines of the law and by providing clarity to employees that any potential claim may be misconstrued and futile to pursue.

Following the abolition of employment tribunal fees, last November the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service rolled out a full refund scheme allowing litigants to reclaim any fees they paid between July 29 2013 to July 26 2017, provided they were not paid a costs order covering their tribunal fees.

Emma Swan added: “Whilst it may appear at first glance to mainly benefit individual employee claimants, the scheme is relevant also to employers taking the respondent role in employment tribunal claims.

The Forbes HR Retreat interactive session on employment tribunals will be led by members of Forbes’ Employment Team and will provide an overview of the current employment tribunal process and the new challenges and will include useful tips for HR on employment tribunal claims.

Forbes website