Employees are entitled to make an employment tribunal claim if they believe they have been unfairly treated or their employer has seriously breached their contract or employment law.
Tribunals can be distressing, particularly for those not used to legal processes, and therefore it’s vital for employees seeking a tribunal to have the right support from experienced employment tribunal solicitors along the way.
Employment tribunals explained
Employees must start the tribunal process within three months of the issue at hand, or within three months of the end of their employment.
Reasons to go to a tribunal include:
- Unpaid wages
- Breach of contract (maternity rights, working hours)
- Unfair dismissal
- Discrimination on the grounds of gender, disability, sexuality or age
- Unfair treatment after whistleblowing
Your employer must respond to the claim within 28 days. After this, a tribunal date will be set. At a tribunal you will be asked to show documents supporting your claims and you can call witnesses – examples could include payslips that demonstrate unpaid wages, or a colleague who witnessed instances of discrimination. Our employment tribunal lawyers can offer advice on gathering the best evidence and choosing the right witnesses, and in some cases we can also offer support during the tribunal itself.
The outcome
If an employment tribunal goes in your favour, you could:
- Be paid compensation
- Be given your job back
