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Employment Partner, Martin Bloom explained, “The total number of
Tribunal applications received by the ETS for 2004-05 fell to
86,181, compared to 115,042 in the year before. Last October the
Government introduced new regulations for handling disputes at work,
and it would be easy to say there is a correlation between the
reduced number of claims registered and the introduction of the new
laws. However, the report does strongly suggest that the decrease
can also be attributed to there being fewer multiple cases – that is
when several employees from the same organisations make a claim
against their employer.”
Martin commented, “There is
sometimes a perception that employees are all too eager to take
their employers to Tribunal to try to get money out of them. The
report shows that in only 27.3 per cent of cases cost orders were
made in favour of the applicant, with the average cost award being
£1000.”
He continued,” Dealing with your
staff is often the hardest part of a job. Anyone who has been
involved in an employment tribunal will tell you how stressful and
upsetting it can be. That is why we always encourage companies to
train their employees who are responsible for managing staff so that
they are aware of the correct procedures to follow and reduce the
risk of having a tribunal claim against them.”
July 2005 |
