Employment Tribunals see claims rise to record level

There was a 56% rise in Employment Tribunal claims between 2008/09 and 2009/10, the Tribunals Service has revealed.

The increase to 236,100 – the highest recorded number ever – was “largely as a result of the rise in multiple claims – these rose by nearly 90% on 2008/09, but also partly as a result of the changing economic climate, the Service said.

The number of single Employment Tribunal claims increased by 14% over the year. The research also revealed there were 126,300 jurisdictional claims associated with unfair dismissal, breach of contract and redundancy, which was 17% higher than in 2008/09.

The Tribunals Service had 739,900 receipts (claims) in 2009/10, an increase of 26%. There was a 15% increase in the number of disposals to 639,600.

The performance in Employment Tribunals has declined over the year, with just 65% of cases dealt with within target time, compared to 74% in 2008/09, presumably as the Service struggled to cope with the increase in workload.