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Sharp rise in pay claims

The Tribunal Service is struggling to cope with an increased demand in the number of cases it is expected to hear.

To help relieve the problem of the higher number of cases, the Service is piloting a scheme to hold evening hearings between 6.00pm and 8.00pm in an attempt to clear the unprecedented backlog. There has been a 29% increase, with 52,711 cases to be heard in the year to March 2009.

The Service insists that only straightforward cases will be heard during these times; those that do not require a panel or a full day's hearing – for example wage claims . This frees up time in the day to hear more complex cases.
Martin Warren, head of employment at Eversheds, said: ‘The rise in the number of claims is largely accounted for by the tens of thousands of equal pay claims against public sector employers’.

Attending a hearing outside of normal hours suits both employees and employers, claims the Tribunal Service, because it has a limited impact on their normal business hours.

The economic downturn led to an increase in redundancy-related claims, as well as unfair dismissal claims. Despite a drive in recruitment for new judges to help the backlog of claims the service is still struggling to cope.

The Tribunals service will pilot the scheme in East London and Cardiff, and it will run for six months.

03 November 2009