Employment tribunal rules changed

Businesses in west London, the South East and elsewhere in the UK will now find it easier to take on staff after new employment tribunal changes, business secretary Vince Cable has claimed. Mr Cable also claimed the process through which employees have to be let go will also be improved by the changes, which came into effect on Friday. The changes are part of a package of sweeping reforms which the Government expects to bring businesses more than £10 million per year in net savings. Ministers have simplified the rules around employment tribunals to encourage growth and cut unnecessary red tape for employers while ensuring workers’ rights are honoured. Some of the main changes are as follows: :: The qualifying period for claiming unfair dismissal is now two years, rather than one. :: In unfair dismissal cases, judges can sit alone. :: Written witness statements can now be provided instead of them having to read their own statement aloud. Mr Cable said: “For too long now the system in place for employment tribunals has been a bloated and bureaucratic obstacle for employers and the taxpayer. For employers they were finding that weak and vexatious cases were too much of the norm, too easy to bring forward, while for the taxpayer they were proving ever more expensive to run.” Our Employment team provides advice on the employment aspects of all major business decisions. For advice, contact a member of the team: call us on 08456 381381 or email employment@ibblaw.co.uk.