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New Tribunal Procedure Rules

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A new statutory instrument is being laid before parliament today (but is not yet available on the gov.uk website) to amend the tribunal procedural rules.

First, the rules are being changed to allow more flexibility over virtual hearings. The details are not entirely clear from the press release.

Second, non-employment judges will be able to be deployed into employment tribunals, if certain criteria on suitability are met.

Third, legal officers will be allowed to carry out some tasks currently performed by employment judges. This was proposed some years ago and is now being brought into force.

Fourth, the Acas Early Conciliation process, and tribunal rules, are being amended to allow greater flexibility in handling minor errors.

Fifth, the rules are changing to allow multiple Claimants and Respondents to use the same forms where reasonable, to avoid multiple certificates and time limits in what is essentially the same dispute.

The measures for the employment tribunal rules, use of legal officers and cross-deployment of judges will come into force on 8 October. The measures on early conciliation will come into force 1 December.

I will send out further details when the statutory instrument is published.

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