MPs recommend substantial cut to employment tribunal fees

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A committee of MPs has concluded that the introduction of employment tribunal fees has had a "significant adverse impact" on access to justice and that the level of fees should be slashed. It recommended that the level of fees charged to employees bringing an employment tribunal claim should be substantially reduced, with special consideration for women alleging maternity or pregnancy discrimination. The Justice Committee report into courts and tribunal fees also described as "unacceptable" that the Government has still not reported the results of its review into impact of employment tribunal fees one year after it began, and six months after it was due. The report, published today, is heavily critical of justice minister Shailesh Vara for the delays in publishing the Government’s review, and for him declining a request in April for the committee of MPs to see evidence from the review in confidence. Employment tribunal fees were introduced in July 2013 in an effort to cut costs, but they have led to a dramatic fall in all types of employment tribunal cases. Working time cases in early 2015, compared with early 2013, fe