Employment tribunal cases rise
Employment tribunal cases rise. More claimants represent themselves in an overloaded and complex court system
According to the employment barrister Bruce Carr, in most cases, claimants are left to pay their own costs in tribunal cases and that leaves many with no choice but to go it alone and represent themselves. He also says that the complexity of the process can be a huge disincentive and intimidating.
Last year, according to figures produced by the Ministry of Justice, there were 121,075 claims – a 10 per cent increase on the previous year. 2017 saw the biggest increase when tribunal fees were scrapped. This has left the tribunal system understaffed and in some cases, the claims process takes well over a year. According to the BBC, the Ministry of Justice has hired 58 extra judges to deal with the increase, has spent £8m on support measures and has pledged a further £3m. However, this is still not enough for a process that can be emotional and draining for both employers and claimants.
Published: 2nd August 2019
