Union challenges employment tribunal fees
1 min read
Workers who take their employers to court have to pay a fee to lodge the claim from this week – but union Unison has won the right to seek a judicial review to challenge this at a hearing in October.
From 29 July, workers have to pay £160 or £250 to lodge a claim, then £230 or £950 if the case proceeds and a further charge to take the case to appeal. The cost depends on the type of case: the lower fee is for claims such as unpaid bills, for example, while unfair dismissal is charged at the higher rate.
The CBI has welcomed the fee system, insisting that it will help to weed out weak claims, while unions have slammed the move. TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady called it "a great day for Britain's worst bosses", adding: "By charging up-front fees for harassment and abuse claims, the government is making it easier for employers to get away with the most appalling behaviour."
Unison has been granted permission to seek a judicial review over the new fees. Should it succeed at the hearing in October, the government has pledged to refund any fees paid.
The Ministry of Justice has produced a factsheet on the tribunal fee charging system: click on the link below.
