As the UK government confirms it will not reintroduce fees for Employment Tribunal claims, attention is turning to alternative solutions for tackling the growing backlog of cases. In a recent article published by Law360, Bellevue Law’s Founder, Florence Brocklesby, shared her thoughts on one practical step that could help ease the pressure: increasing resources for the ACAS Early Conciliation process.
Early Conciliation is designed to help resolve workplace disputes before they escalate into formal tribunal claims. Florence noted that while the mechanism is simple, Bellevue Law’s team has found it to be consistently effective in achieving early settlements. However, recent months have seen a worrying trend: conciliators often do not engage with cases until the end of the six-week conciliation period.
“This delay is presumably due to a lack of resources,” Florence commented. “But it means that claims which might have settled during Early Conciliation are instead progressing to litigation, further exacerbating the backlog.”
With Employment Tribunals facing significant delays and increasing caseloads, Florence’s suggestion highlights the importance of investing in preventative measures. Strengthening the Early Conciliation process could offer a cost-effective and timely way to reduce the number of cases reaching tribunal, benefiting both claimants and employers.
You can read the full article on Law360 Nixing Of UK Tribunal Fees Proposal Leaves System At Risk.
