Employment Tribunal cases rise by 15%

The number of cases brought to employment tribunals in UK in 2006-07 rose by 15%, from 115,039 in 2005-06 to 132,577, according to new figures.

The number of cases disposed of during 2006-07 also rose, by 19%, from 86,083 to 102,597.

There was an increase of 26% in multiple cases (where a number of people bring cases against one employer on the same or very similar grounds and they are progressed together) and a 3% rise in single cases in 2006-07. Multiple cases now make up 60% of all cases received, compared to 55% last year and 36% in 2004-05.

Many cases involve more than one jurisdiction. Of the 238,546 jurisdictions lodged in total in 2006-07:

• Some 972 were age discrimination claims;

• 44,013 were equal pay claims;

• 44,491 claims were for unfair dismissal;

“The significant reason for the increase in employment tribunal cases in 2006-07 is a 155 per cent increase in equal pay claims

Jeanne Spinks, chief operating officer of the Tribunals Service

• 28,153 were for sex discrimination (a large number of these were in conjunction with equal pay claims);

• 3,780 were for race discrimination; and

• 5,533 were for disability discrimination.

With the exception of race discrimination, all showed an upwards trend, with equal pay claims showing a 155% increase on 2005-06.

The Employment Appeal Tribunal heard 432 cases at a full hearing in 2006-07, a decrease of 22% on the year before.

Jeanne Spinks, chief operating officer of the Tribunals Service which administers employment tribunals, said: "The significant reason for the increase in employment tribunal cases in 2006-07 is a 155% increase in equal pay claims. We have set up two dedicated teams to process equal pay cases from NHS staff and have been working closely with our judiciary to ensure that all equal pay claims are progressed as efficiently as possible. Despite an overall increase in cases this year, we've also managed to reduce the waiting times for single cases appearing before employment tribunals.

"During 2006-07, the Tribunals Service also piloted an early dispute resolution scheme in a number of our employment tribunals and we've worked closely with the new Department of Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (formerly DTI) on their plans to revise employment dispute resolution procedures."