The Supreme Court has ruled that Employment Tribunal fees introduced in 2013, which saw a decline in Employment Tribunal applications, are unlawful and that it will take ‘immediate steps’ to stop fees being charged.
The introduction of fees went some way to reducing the number of malicious and weak claims, but scrapping them is expected to result in a dramatic increase in the number of cases.
As an employer this presents a potentially significant risk to your business..
Employment disputes can be costly, disruptive and stressful, so you should make sure that you have expert advice and support in place to ensure that these risks are minimised.
What can you do?
- Make sure that you have up to date employment policies and procedures that comply with current employment legislation and are available to employees
- Make sure contracts of employment are both lawful and meet the needs of both employer and employee
- Ensure you have access to professional support. Most tribunals are lost on technical or process reasons, so it is essential that you are supported whenever employment issues arise
- Seek professional advice, particularly if you have any ongoing or potential issues, or if you have dismissed an employee in the last three months, or have any employees currently in a disciplinary process
- Consider whether managers/supervisors have the skills to identify and manage employment disputes, if not consider training
- Consider the benefits of outsourced employment support. Professional support can help resolve disputes before they get to tribunal, reducing the cost of disputes
Call AHR Consultants today for a free consultation 0345 076 2288