The hot topic of conversation following the decision to make fees in Employment Tribunal claims unlawful and are to be abolished, have been alarming, positive and entertaining in some arenas.
An order by Brian Doyle, President of the Employment Tribunals, to ‘stay’ applications which rely on the Supreme Court ruling pending decisions of the Ministry of Justice, was made last week. This has sparked yet further debate and raised further questions as well as raised eyebrows! We say this, because in terms of Case management there appears to be no clear guidance to enable legal advisors to confidently address questions relating to claims which may be out of time, as many genuine claimants were deterred from making an application at that time due to the fees in question. So perhaps what appeared a clear ruling brings with it a minefield of issues for the relevant bodies to manage and we can only await the next twist in the ET journey.
We can, however, manage processes and our daily employee related issues now, to help the relationship between both employer and employee. Our advice to our clients remains resolute in terms of ensuring matters are dealt with fairly, consistently and in a timely manner. It is important to ensure that policies and procedures are fair, compliant and up to date, and most importantly issues are not ignored. Following these simple steps, will aid to reduce risk and help to maintain a happy working environment, which should not give rise to employees feeling there is a necessity to seek redress at an Employment Tribunal.
If you have any queries or concerns regarding this recent ruling, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the HPC team today!
T: 0844 800 5932
E: help@highperformanceconsultancy.com
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