Tribunal Fees

Following recent consultations the Government hasannounced that a fee structure for Employment Tribunals will beimplemented in the summer of 2013.

There will be two levels under the feestructure:

Level 1 - basic claims for sums due on termination ofemployment e.g. unpaid wages, redundancy payment, notice moniesetc.

Level 2 - claims relating to unfair dismissal,discrimination, equal pay and whistleblowing

For each level there will be a fee payable on both the issueof the claim and prior to the hearing. As the proposal currentlystands these are:

Level 1 - Issue Fee £60; Hearing Fee £230

Level 2 - Issue fee £250; Hearing Fee £950

The Government has proposed that the fee remission scheme inthe Employment Tribunal be based on receipt of certain permittedstate benefits or a household income below a certainthreshold.

The Government has committed to reviewing the fee structureonce implemented to assess its impacts and consider if changes areneeded.

It will be interesting to see if the introduction of the feestructure has the desired effect in reducing the volume ofEmployment Tribunal claims and encouraging early resolution ofdisputes.

This article is for general guidance only. It provides useful information in a concise form. Action should not be taken without obtaining specific legal advice.