The BEIS and the MoJ have started a consultation, Reforming The Employment Tribunal System, designed to take forward the principles of wider court and tribunal reform. The proposed changes, which do not include any proposals for major structural change, are as follows:

• Digitising the whole claims process, enabling claims to be made and subsequently processed online, facilitating electronic communication between individuals and the tribunal.
• Delegating a broad range of routine tasks from judges to caseworkers, allowing procedural decisions that do not determine the outcome of the case to be made at a proportionate level.
• Tailoring the composition of tribunal panel members to the needs of the case according to their experience, so that claimants can be confident that the decisions will be fair and informed.
• Removing any unnecessary restrictions on how a particular type of case must be determined, ensuring that simple cases are resolved by simple methods, based on the specific needs of the claim and the individual user.

The aim of this update is to provide summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. In particular, where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented by the parties and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Click on the links provided to access full details. If no link is provided, contact us for further details.  Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, SM&B cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.