Employment Tribunal Support

In most claims, the start of the process must commence within 3 months (less one day) from the date your employment ended. For claims of discrimination or where you are owed salary, the 3 months start to run from the date of the act complained of.

ACAS Early Conciliation

The "starting process" is to notify ACAS and register for Early Conciliation. The time limit is automatically 'paused' during Early Conciliation. If the case is not settled, ACAS will bring Early Conciliation to an end and issue a certificate.

Once the certificate is issued, the time for issuing a Tribunal claim will start to run again. You will have at least one month from the date of the certificate to submit your claim. The exact date by which you have to submit your claim can be difficult to calculate.

If you haven't contacted ACAS within the 3 month time period, you will not be able to issue your claim. Although you can make an application to the Tribunal to present a claim out of time, there are very few exceptions where it will be granted.

Issuing your Tribunal Claim

A claim must be started on a specific form called an ET1, which should set out in full the factual allegations and legal complaints.

The Tribunal will review the ET1 and assuming the claim is accepted, it will then send the form to your employer. Your employer then has 28 days in which to submit its formal response to the claim, using a form called an "ET3". The ET3 will set out the employer’s defence to your claim.

What happens next?

Both parties will be given directions on how the case is to proceed including time periods for the exchange of evidence, such as witness statements, in addition to outlining requirements for agreeing a bundle of relevant papers to be used at the hearing.

You and your employer will subsequently receive written notice of the hearing.

The Hearing

At the hearing both parties will give their evidence. The Employment Tribunal will then decide whether or not your claim is successful, and if so, how much compensation to award you.

Get in touch with our Employment Tribunal team

As specialist employment lawyers we will value your claim and losses and always give you an honest and considered assessment of your rights and likely chances of your success.

Contact us today by calling 01246 266867 or fill out an online enquiry form for a free initial consultation so we can help before it is too late. Good cases can be lost before they even start through hesitation or delay.