Employment tribunal decisions are now to be automatically published on a new online, searchable database which is available for anyone to access. For an employer, this development risks adverse publicity and could provide potential claimants with additional information to support their claim.
What is an Employment Tribunal?
An Employment Tribunal is a public body that hears and presides over disputes between employees and employers. Typically, these issues are unfair dismissals, discrimination and redundancy.
Are All Employment Tribunal Decisions Public?
Final hearings in Employment Tribunals are public, but the decisions are available subject to the Court’s power to make a restricted reporting order or hear matters in private in very rare cases.
Previously, you had to apply to the Court for a copy of a Tribunal decision. Now, All Employment Tribunal judgments are available at: – https://www.gov.uk/employment-tribunal-decisions.
The uploaded decisions (and previous decisions that may be entered in the future) are searchable. Anyone can search by the drop-down menu or the free text. You can search by the name of an employee, employer, Tribunal Judge or a member of the tribunal.
The website significantly increases the risk of adverse publicity for employers. Employees and their solicitors considering bringing forth a claim could search for judgments in claims of a similar nature against a Respondent company. If there are previous judgments against the company regarding issues such as discrimination, employees could seek to draw inferences from those past decisions.
This knowledge and visibility make it even more vital to get effective, legal policies and procedures in place and ensure that your Managers know and follow them in their dealings with employees.
Who Makes the Final Decision in an Employment Tribunal Cases?
Every Employment Tribunal case is chaired by an Employment Judge. They may have two non-legal members to assist in their decision-making.
When Will I Receive the Decision from My Employment Tribunal Hearing?
After your hearing, you will typically receive the decision within a few days or weeks. It will explain the grounds for the decision and any compensation owed to either party.
Is an Employment Tribunal Decision Legally Binding?
All the decisions made by an Employment Tribunal are legally binding, meaning every party involved in the hearing must follow them.
For more information on our employment law services, please contact our experts. We can help both employees and employers settle disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution and Employment Tribunal hearings.
