Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Employee relationsConstructive dismissalEmployment lawEmployment tribunalsRedundancy

Unfair dismissal and redundancy tribunal claims rocket

by Helen Gilbert 30 Sep 2009
by Helen Gilbert 30 Sep 2009

The number of claims accepted by employment tribunals has fallen by a fifth.


Employment tribunals accepted 151,000 claims in 2008-09, a decrease of 20% on the 2007-08 figure, latest figures by the Tribunals Service have shown.


Multiple claims accepted for 2008-09 fell by 13% on the previous year, but this figure excluded the number of airline employees who resubmitted claims for breaches of the Working Time Directive in 2007-08.


But the data revealed an increase in the number of single claims accepted, which rose to 63,000 in 2008-09 – a rise of 15% on the year before.


Unfair dismissal claims have overtaken equal pay as the most frequently lodged claim, and redundancy pay cases have rocketed. The number of unfair dismissal cases accepted between April 2008 and March 2009 rose by 29% to 52,711, up from 40,941 the previous year.


Redundancy pay claims shot up from 7,313 last year to 10,839 for the current year, while cases for redundancy – failure to inform and consult – more than doubled at 11,371.


Equal pay claims fell by more than a quarter to 45,748 for 2008-09 – down from 62,706 the previous year, and Working Time Directive cases plummeted to 23,976, compared to 55,712 the previous year.


Sex discrimination cases also dropped by 31%.


XpertHR has a wealth of information and guidance for employers and HR on how to handle tribunal claims.


Elsewhere, Personnel Today has learned that the Employment Appeal Tribunal has handed down a judgment in Da-Bell v NSPCC to increase the bands of damages that can be awarded for injury to feelings in discrimination cases.


Consequently, the upper limits will now be:




  • £6,000 for the lower band (increased from £5,000)


  • £18,000 for the middle band (increased from £15,000)


  • £30,000 for the top band (increased from £25,000).

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Rachel Dineley, partner in the employment and pensions group at law firm Beachcroft, warned that claimants would undoubtedly want to make the most of the ruling if they can demonstrate their feelings were badly hurt.


“More than ever before, employers need to ensure that the culture of their organisations is inclusive and that any incidents of discrimination are promptly dealt with,” she said.

Helen Gilbert

previous post
Employment tribunals: XpertHR’s top tips on how to deal with a claim
next post
Conservatives tackle flexible working and parental leave at conference

You may also like

Sighing in frustration at colleague was discriminatory, judge...

23 May 2025

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Restaurant tips should be included in holiday pay

21 May 2025

Black security manager awarded £360k after decade of...

20 May 2025

Minister defends Employment Rights Bill at Acas conference

16 May 2025

CBI chair Soames accuses ministers of not listening...

16 May 2025

Union rep teacher awarded £370k for unfair dismissal

15 May 2025

EHRC bows to pressure and extends gender consultation

15 May 2025

Tribunal finds need for degree in redundancy selection...

14 May 2025

‘Polygamous working’ is a minefield for HR

14 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+