On the 26th July 2017 the Supreme Court ruled that the tribunal fees introduced in 2013 were unlawful. The government has said that it will stop charging these fees. We will update this section when we get more information.
Written by Advicenow
How to tackle problems at work
If your employer is treating you in a way you are unhappy with, or not giving you what you are entitled to, don't suffer in silence. You can take action to deal with the problem.
Every work situation is different, so there isn't just one way of dealing with a problem. What you should do will depend on what kind of relationship you have with your employer and the type of problem you have.
Here is an outline of the steps you could take:
- You could start by talking to your employer; explain that you are not getting what you are entitled to or that you are unhappy with the way you are being treated. You might be able to settle the matter straight away.
- If that doesn't work you should get in touch with your trade union representative, if you have one, or a personnel officer at your work and they will be able to advise you on what to do next.
- Every employer must have a procedure to deal with employees’ problems and complaints. You might have to put your complaint in writing. If you are in this position, it is a good idea to get in touch with an experienced adviser at your local law centre, Citizen's Advice Bureau, or advice agency.
- As a last resort you might decide to make a complaint to an employment tribunal. Employment tribunals are set up to resolve disputes between employers and employees. Most complaints must be made within three months of the incident or action you are complaining about. You should think carefully before doing this as it is likely to create bad feeling between you and your employer no matter what the outcome. If you feel that this is your only option you should speak to an experienced adviser first as there are important rules you must follow before going to a tribunal.
- Unless you are on a low income (and this is means tested) you will have to pay an employment tribunal fee (currently £160 or £250) to start your claim depending on the type of claim, and more (currently £230 or £950) if it doesn’t settle and goes to a hearing. These fees were introduced in 2013. You are likely to get the fees back if your claim is successful, but this is not guaranteed. Depending on who your employer is, there is always a risk that they go bust. For this reason it is essential to make sure that you have good prospects of success before you start a claim, preferably by discussing it with ACAS or other advisers.
26th July 2017