Employment disputes – settlements on the rise

According to recent headline figures released by the Ministry of Justice, this quarter there were 19,000 Employment Tribunal receipts, 15,000 disposals, and 487,000 cases outstanding at the end of June 2022. Compared to Q1 2020/21, overall Employment Tribunal receipts decreased by 10%, disposals increased by 114% and caseload outstanding decreased by 2%.

The term ‘disposals’ captures any claim has been settled, withdrawn, dismissed or decided at another tribunal hearing.

The fact that the number of disposals has increased by 114% when compared to 2020/2021 (data from 2021/2022 is unavailable) suggests to us that there is an increasing appetite to settle litigation – perhaps due to the lengthy delays experienced during the employment tribunal process.

Of course, there are various factors that come into play when contemplating settlement – not least an assessment of a party’s prospects of success, the commercial impact of litigation and wider PR considerations.

We work with clients to understand their litigation aims and provide the representation they need.

Anyone seeking advice on employment matters can contact Ms Kemp on 0345 2073 728 or by e-mailing lkemp@thursfields.co.uk.