The latest statistics published by the government’s Tribunal Service reveal that the number of employment claims received in the last quarter increased by more than a third.
The figures, published last week and covering the period January to March 2013 showed that the number of claims received was 57,737 – 36 per cent more than in the same period of 2012.
This was driven by an increase in claims under the Working Time Directive (mainly airline claims that have to be resubmitted every three months) which doubled over the period, and accounted for just over a third of claims. The next largest numbers of complaints received by tribunals fell under the “jurisdiction” of unauthorised deductions (16 per cent) and unfair dismissal (11 per cent).
Tribunals disposed of 27,778 claims during January to March 2013, three per cent fewer than in the same period of 2012.
The numbers of disposals for single claims decreased by ten per cent while the number for multiple claims increased by six per cent.
Between January and March 2013, 58,907 jurisdictional claims were disposed of (a two per cent increase on the 57,680 disposed of in the same period of the previous year). This means that on average, 2.1 jurisdictions were disposed of per claim.
Of those, 19 per cent were for unfair dismissal; 17 per cent for unauthorised deductions; and 16 per cent were associated with discrimination (age, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or disability).
To read the Tribunals Statistics Quarterly Report, go to Ministry of Justice website.