PDQ - Tribunal Reform: A New Beginning?

The Government yesterday unveiled plans to reform the way employees can bring claims before the Tribunal system. This announcement is against the backdrop of an unprecedented increase in Tribunal claims being brought against employers. The Government stated they were responding to legitimate concerns raised by employers that the Tribunal system has become too costly (for the employer!), the process is too slow and it is too easy for employees to bring unmerited or vexatious claims. The Government believes that its new proposals (which will be the subject of consultation until 20 April 2011), if implemented, will reverse this trend.

The new proposals include as follows:

• employees will no longer have the right to claim unfair dismissal after working for one continuous year; this right will only exist once they have completed two years' continuous service;