Dismissal Claims Increase Ahead Of Job Law Change

Incoming Government measures will make it easier for employers to dismiss underperforming workers.

In advance of this a 44% rise in unfair dismissal claims has been reported.

Previously making a claim has been free of charge however new proposals, which will be introduced this summer, will state that a £250 fee to make the claim and a further £950 if the case reaches court will need to be paid.

The rationale is an attempt to reduce the amount of claims that have little or no chance of succeeding.

It will become a lot harder for claims against employers to come about once these changes take place. The current thought is that some individuals will be trying their luck, rushing to bring a claim forward, while they still can.

Payouts for successful claims will also be capped at one year's salary upto a maximum of £74,200.

Statistics from the Tribunals Service revealed that there was a substantial increase in the number of claims made last year. 15,300 claims were made in the three months to September 2012, compared to 10,600 in the three months to June.

A spokesman for the Tribunals Service said,  "The Government's previous attempts to ease employment tribunal congestion haven't been a runaway success, while the latest changes appear to have had the opposite to the desired effect, at least in the short term."

If you have a question about these changes or want to talk about a case you may have against your employer please contact us on Tunbridge Wells 0845 603 0708 or complete the form on the right and we'll call you back.

National Solicitors

Employment Law Specialists, 

Tunbridge Wells