Employment law specialist, Peninsula, has warned that there is likely to be a surge in employment cases following a ruling by the Supreme Court which abolished employment tribunal fees, which can cost individuals up to £1,200
On 26 July, the Supreme Court ruled that the government acted unlawfully when it introduced employment tribunal fees in July 2013. The fees were scrapped with immediate effect and the government now has to pay back over £27m to individual.
Since the introduction of the fees the number of employment cases Peninsula has handled has dropped by 75%, mirroring government statistics which show an overall decreases of 79%.
The number of employment cases are now expected to surge due to the Supreme Court ruling.
As fees of up to £1,200 have now been removed individuals have nothing to lose by taking their employer to court.
Also, given the three month time limit from the day of dismissal to pursue a claim, an employee dismissed within the last three months may now decide whether to pursue this course of action, further adding to the surge.
James Potts, head of legal at Peninsula, said: ’It is essential employers seek the right advice if they find themselves taken to tribunal but prevention is better than cure – by implementing the right systems, procedures and practices, businesses can reduce their vulnerability to a claim and can be confident they have nothing to fear if they are.
’We’re predicting a very busy time ahead for employers and for those who advise them in this area.’
