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A record number of employment tribunals were held last year according to the latest figures.
Statistics released by employment law specialist Peninsular revealed there were 118,400 tribunals last year, an increase of 14 per cent on the previous year.
The findings mirrored the results of Personnel Today’s recent survey on employment tribunals, which also showed a substantial increase during 2000.
Mike Huss, Peninsular’s senior employment law specialist, commented, “The rise in employment tribunals as recorded by Peninsula shows that there is an increase in awareness of employee rights.
“What seems to be most frightening to the employer is that their employees now know more about their rights than the employer does.”
Huss also felt the increase of employment tribunals was adding to the administrative burden firms were under.
“Despite the Government’s promise in reducing red tape, the rise in employment tribunal applications will continue. Businesses in the UK are weighed down by far too much red tape,” said Huss.
Peninsula’s statistics also showed that since 1990 there has been a 167 per cent increase in employment tribunals.
By Ben Willmott
