A
record number of employment tribunal claims is weighing down business,
according to an Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) survey.
The
findings revealed that the number of employment tribunal claims handled by the
EEF rose by 17.5 per cent in 2000, compared to the previous year.
Only
6 per cent of claims submitted by applicants were upheld at tribunal, with 70
per cent of claims settled or withdrawn before reaching a hearing, said EEF.
The
industry body representing nearly 6000 engineering companies said the figures
proved that increasing litigation is proving to be a drag on employers.
“These
figures back the complaints from business that the avalanche of employment
legislation of the last few years has fuelled an ever-increasing culture of
litigation,” said Peter Martin, EEF’s director of employment policy.
He
added, “Employers are now facing the problem of defending more and more cases at
a time when their companies are already under great pressure.”
Other
findings from the survey show that disability discrimination claims increased
by 40 per cent in 2000, although only 6 per cent were successful at tribunal.
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