The introduction of employment tribunal fees means it is becoming increasingly important to look at alternative ways to resolve disputes, says the Joint Industry Board (JIB).
From 29 July 2013, individuals will be charged to lodge a tribunal claim. Fees are set at two different levels depending on the type of claim; on average an unfair dismissal case will cost around £1200 to pursue a case.
In light of the new fee system, the JIB is encouraging the industry to seek mediation as a way to address conflict situations and grievances, to avoid costly tribunal disputes.
“The aim of mediation is to compromise and reach a settlement which both parties are happy with,” said Sheik Khan, head of industrial relations at the JIB. “It’s less stressful than going through the courts, and helps all sides agree on a positive solution for moving forward.”
All directly-employed JIB operatives and apprentices have completely free access to the JIB /disputes procedure, which is the industry’s equivalent of an employment tribunal but focuses on mediation as the route to resolve issues. In 2012 the JIB dealt with around 100 cases and achieved a 99% success rate.
“The introduction of fees means it’s now a significant financial consideration whether to pursue a case,” Sheik continued, “so we urge employees to think about if mediation can help save the time, cost and stress of lodging a tribunal claim.”
The JIB also offers a pre-claim service for its members where employers and employees can ask for help with resolving a case before it’s lodged with the employment tribunal, in order to alleviate the situation before it becomes more serious.
Electrical contractors who aren’t JIB members can still access the JIB’s mediation services for their whole workforce. For more information contact 03333 218 230 or email [email protected].
