Unfair dismissal employment tribunals on the rise

The recession is fuelling the number of employment tribunals being launched over matters of alleged unfair dismissals, it is reported.

According to the Tribunals Service, in the 12 months ending March 2009, unfair dismissal claims filed at Employment Tribunals increased by 29 per cent, taking them to 52,711.

However, claims accepted at employment tribunals during the same period declined by 20 per cent, while multiple claims fell by 13 per cent.

In the last year, redundancy-related pay disputes have risen from 7,313 to 10,839, while cases concerning failure to inform or consult on redundancies have also more than doubled, taking them to 11,371.

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And age discrimination cases were also noted to have risen.

Speaking to the Times, Martin Warren, Eversheds head of employment, said: "The increase in unfair dismissal claims is undoubtedly a consequence of the economic downturn."

One such case recently saw an employment tribunal rule that Cumbrian probation worker Steven Collingwood, 40, should receive compensation of £93,000 after claiming to be a victim of harassment and disability discrimination, local paper the News and Star reports.