Cases taken to employment law tribunals ‘have rocketed’

Posted 06/09/2010

The number of employees taking cases to employment law tribunals has increased dramatically, new figures have revealed.

According to the Tribunals Service, there were 236,100 such hearings in the 12 months to March 31st 2010, up 56 per cent on the previous year.

The increase was put down to companies making cutbacks during the recession and employees being put under increasing pressure.

It was estimated that £1 billion had been paid to people who claimed they had suffered as a result of wrongful dismissal or discrimination.

This comes after a former NHS boss was awarded £1.2 million in a whistleblowing case.

John Watkinson received £67,250 from the Royal Cornwall and Hospital Trust earlier in 2010 after it failed to follow proper procedures when sacking him, but has now been given the additional sum for unfair dismissal.

The normal cap on compensation was overruled because the case related to protected disclosure.