It’s that time again; the Government has published the latest batch of tribunal statistics detailing claims from April to June 2018.
We are all well aware that the tribunal fees were quashed last year and since then there has been a steady stream of cases but the recent statistics demonstrate a staggering increase in claims:
- Single claims to the employment tribunal increased 165% in April to June 2018 than was recorded during the same period last year, just before the abolition of the fees regime
- Despite not needing to stump up the cost for fees, individuals are using lawyers less with a decrease in the proportion of claimants represented by a lawyer to 74% in 2017/18, down from 86% in 2016/17
- The mean average award for Unfair Dismissal was £15,007
- The mean average award for Disability Discrimination was £30,700.
Our thoughts
Claims are on the rise, whether this is because of the number of people in employment or as a result of more people becoming aware of the abolition of the tribunal fees, it is hard to say.
It is easier to head off a claim at the early stages rather than try to defend it once it has crystalised and the parties’ positions have become entrenched. Here at Thomson Snell & Passmore we offer advice lines at fixed rates for our commercial clients and we also offer collaborative workplace mediation through our branded CEL (Collaborative Employment Law) mediation service. If you think that your organisation would benefit from such an advice line or mediation services, then please make contact with Nick Hobden (nick.hobden@ts-p.co.uk) of our team.
