Employment tribunals
Resource summary
This factsheet was last updated in April 2012.
What is an employment tribunal?
Employment tribunals are designed to deal with many claims that may be brought against employers by employees relating to their employment or its termination.
The employment relationship is in large part governed by the law of contract and contractual disputes can be dealt with by the ordinary civil courts (usually the High or County Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Sheriff Court in Scotland). Many other employment rights are contained in statute law and the majority of these statutory rights can only be enforced by employment tribunals (called 'industrial tribunals' in Northern Ireland). Tribunals also have jurisdiction to consider some contractual aspects as well.
Examples of disputes heard by employment tribunals are:
- unfair dismissal claims
- wrongful dismissal claims
- discrimination claims (race, sex, disability, religion or belief; sexual orientation, age)
- equal pay claims
- claims relating to deductions from wages.
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- What is an employment tribunal?
- Starting and responding to a claim
- The role of Acas
- The tribunal hearing
- Compromise and settlement of claims
- Future developments
- CIPD viewpoint
- Useful contacts
- References
- Further reading