Access to justice denied.
The cost of making a claim at an employment tribunal is reducing access to justice. That’s the opinion of MPs on the Justice Select Committee in a report published this month.
Fees were significantly increased in 2013. It now costs £1200 to bring a case for unfair dismissal.
Official evidence shows the number of cases is down although a formal government review is still awaited. Information provided by the TUC shows reductions in case numbers between 2013 and 2015: 78% in working time regulation; 58% in unauthorised deduction of wages; 72% in unfair dismissal; 68% in sex discrimination.
The MPs couldn’t be clearer: “We recommend that the overall quantum of fees charged for bringing cases to employment tribunals should be substantially reduced”.
At Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead our employment adviser often sees people with a fair claim who can’t afford the ‘entry fee’ and aren’t eligible for financial aid. He cites the recent case of a young woman who was dismissed from her job because of a health condition just weeks before completing her apprenticeship.
Citizens Advice* provided written and oral evidence to the committee. An excellent blog by Emma Wilkinson, senior employment expert, puts the MPs’ findings in context.
* People being priced out of challenging employers Citizens Advice, 20/06/16