07 December 2016

The government has announced further plans to change the employment tribunal process, at a time access to justice is a major concern for workers' rights advocates.

A consultation on the proposed reform was released yesterday, calling for evidence to oppose or support the following plans:

1. Digitising the whole claims process so that some claims are made and processed online
2. Allow caseworkers to make some decisions rather than a judge
3. Making the inclusion of non-legal specialists on tribunal panels non-mandatory, with their placement decided by the Senior President of Employment Tribunals
4. Giving the Tribunal Procedure Committee additional powers to regulate tribunal rules, including appointing new members such as an employment judge and an "employment practitioner"

The Institute of Employment Rights will respond officially to the consultation in January. We are also bringing legal experts, academics and trade unionists together to discuss changes to the tribunal system -including the proposed reform - and detail how attacks on workers' rights can be resisted at two conferences in the New Year:

Access to Justice 2017: Liverpool 24 January 2017 Speakers include Judge Brian Doyle, David Sorenson, Jo Seery, Damien Warbuton, Jeanette Sainsbury and David Renton Read more

Access to Justice 2017: London 08 February 2017 Speakers include Judge Brian Doyle, David Sorenson, Kate Ewing, Michael Ford, Gerard Airey, Diana Holland and Howard Beckett Read more