Employment Tribunals: are not for the faint hearted, if help and support are to hand, accept it.

Employment tribunals can be unpleasant and uncomfortable and usually come at a time when an employee is already upset and worried. An employment tribunal takes place after an employer and employee have experienced a dispute and the employee then makes a claim against the employer. This is a daunting experience for even the strongest of people, so if help and support are available then the Claimant should accept it. Not only will this make the Claimant feel less alone, there is some important legal information that the Claimant needs to know and might not be aware of.

Employment Tribunal Rules

Employment tribunals have their own procedure and follow Employment Tribunal Rules (ETRules). The overriding objective of a tribunal is to deal with cases fairly and in good time and in ways which minimise expense and keep all parties on an equal footing. There are strict time limits in employment claims and seeking good free legal advice as soon as possible is advised.

A case was announced via the BBC recently where Charlotte Loubser made a claim against her employer after receiving a phone call whilst off sick to say that she was no longer needed. By Charlotte’s own admission, the process she then went through to make the claim wasn’t easy, was a lot of work, was really emotional and very draining. In this case, The Loubsers did not have money to pay a lawyer but solicitors such as Lawson-West will work on a No Win No Fee basis and a number of other funding arrangements including Legal Expenses insurance funding -can be available.

Employment Tribunal claims have jumped by 23%

An article published in The Guardian reports that employment tribunal claims are taking on average 8 months to be heard and the number of claims has also jumped by more than 25% to 35,430 over the past year, therefore it is important to have someone who knows the process on-side to speed things up as much as possible and ensure the claim is submitted in the correct way. Claimants can also find that communication from lawyers (usually letters) working on behalf of the employer can be daunting, harassing and wearing to any Claimant.

Claimants should collect their evidence

The information a Claimant should gather when making an employment tribunal claim includes:

• Keeping a record covering everything that has been experienced since the dispute started. Document this as fully as possible as it will be needed.
• Obtaining any medical records and statements associated with the situation e.g. if suffering with a medical condition which can amount to a disability.
• Recording any losses in money which have been experienced by the Claimant, together with any details and copies of documents relating to attempts to “mitigate” or reduce the loss. Also keeping records of any new jobs applied for is strongly advised.

A good reputable solicitor will look at all of this information and ensure it is presented in the best way possible before it is submitted to Tribunal. Lawson-West can help assess a Claimant’s case and provide solid and supportive guidance.

Lawson-West solicitors has offices in Leicester, Wigston and Market Harborough and their employment solicitors can discuss employment law claims at any of their branches. In addition, they are a national provider of expert employment law advice and welcome a free discussion with individuals regarding their circumstances and any potential claim.

Please contact 0116 212 1000 or 01858 445 480 for further help. Lawson-West also offers a number of free walk-in consultations in their offices. 

Please remember, there are strict time limits in employment claims and good legal advice should be sought as soon as possible.

Lawson-West solicitors offer No-Win No-Fee and a variety of other funding arrangements including Legal Expenses insurance funding.

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