How to protect your business from the rising risk of the employment tribunal

By KMC Human Resources

30 Aug 2019

coffee-cup-photo-1.jpg

Employment Tribunal cases, which are recorded and reported on a quarterly basis, have been showing a steady increase since ET fees were abolished on 26th July 2017. The number of single claims has been increasing quarter on quarter, with only one quarter showing a slight dip (from 8,900 to 8,500) before rising again. In recently published statistics, there were 9,500 single claims, a rise of 6% when compared to the same period in 2018. The figures are brought into greater context when compared with the same period in 2017, prior to the ruling which outlawed employment tribunal fees, when the number of cases was 4,300.

These statistics certainly indicate that employees are increasingly prepared to bring claims now that fees have been abolished. So what steps can you take to protect your company from the risk of being taken to tribunal?

There are many problematic areas of employment that could potentially give rise to employees making a claim, ranging from unfair dismissal through to bullying and harassment. The first step you should take is to ensure that you have a full set of policies and procedures in place and that these are up to date.  As a starting point, a contract of employment that is relevant to the job role should be issued. There are a whole host of policies and procedures that your business should cover, just a few suggestions are listed below:

Absence – sickness, lateness, medical appointments, holidays and other leave Equal opportunities and discrimination IT, Social media and device usage Disciplinary and grievance Bullying and harassment Family policies – maternity, paternity etc Health and safety Dismissal and end of contract

A systematic approach to record keeping is also essential – from employee absence records through to detailed information relating to any disciplinary procedures. The most common reason for tribunals is unfair dismissal claims, so in the event that this sort of claim is made against you, being able to prove that you have taken the correct steps is essential. Using an HR management system such as breatheHR can significantly reduce time and effort spent on HR administration, ensuring that you have up-to-date, accurate information at your fingertips.

Even with all of the correct documentation in place, you can’t always account for the actions of your team. Training line managers so they are aware of employment laws and how they should deal with and speak to staff can go a long way to preventing issues occurring.

If an employee does make a claim, you should be aware that prior to reaching the employment tribunal, employees must first contact ACAS to enter into Early Conciliation (EC). This is an opportunity to reach settlement between the two parties. Be sure to take this process seriously and take advice on your options. If the process fails, the employee is then able to lodge a claim with the employment tribunal. So be sure to consider all your options – although you may not want to settle, in doing so you could save a great deal of time and potentially cost, so it may just be worth the compromise.

For more information or assistance of tribunal-proofing your business, please get in touch with us.

Latest news

1

Management buyout at Suresite Group Steve Holden

Management buyout at Suresite Group

17 Oct 2025

2

Meet the influencers who have generated £2m sales for one company Helen and Richard Chalu new

Meet the influencers who have generated £2m sales for one company

16 Oct 2025

3

WHN strengthens position in prestigious legal guide Daniel Long

WHN strengthens position in prestigious legal guide

16 Oct 2025

4

Warden appoints new commercial manager to strengthen project delivery and growth Peter Heskine

Warden appoints new commercial manager to strengthen project delivery and growth

16 Oct 2025

5

Stockley's finds its sweet spot Stockley's front view

Stockley's finds its sweet spot

15 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues
EventBrite NORi - 22nd Oct Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
22 Oct 2025 - 22 Oct 2025

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues

Online - Teams, Leyland, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Chamber Business Lunch – October
LBV Hub Networking
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Chamber Business Lunch – October

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

11:00 - 13:30

Lancaster District Business Support Expo
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Oct 2025 - 29 Oct 2025

Lancaster District Business Support Expo

The Platform, Morecambe, LA4 4DB

10:00 - 15:00

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
06 Nov 2025 - 06 Nov 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November

Porsche Centre South Lakes, Carnforth, LA6 1FW

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Roundtables
10 Nov 2025 - 10 Nov 2025

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner

Lancaster Castle, Lancaster, LA1 1YN

14:00 - 16:00

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity
1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin