The Shadow Business Secretary is quoted as saying that the fees are “locking people out of the justice they are entitled to”.

There has been a significant decrease in the number of claims being made at tribunal since the introduction of fees; many have argued however that this decrease has been in cases that were minor, weak or malicious and which would not have been won by the claimant anyway.

In our experience, employers have largely welcomed the introduction of fees, as it has been seen as one step in the direction of a better balance between employee & employer rights.

Additionally, the introduction of the ACAS compulsory mediation service does now allow an opportunity to have matters resolved without the need to submit a tribunal claim.

We wouldn’t be in favour of scrapping the fees but we’ll be interested to see if legal advisors can suggest a better system that ensures fair justice for employees but enables employers to retain greater confidence in making the business decisions they feel are right.