Changes to Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure
The Rules of Procedure, the government’s rulebook for Employment Tribunals, have now changed. Here’s a breakdown of why this has happened and what’s different about the updated rules.
Why have the Rules of Procedure changed?
Since 6 January 2025, the Rules of Procedure set out in Schedule 1 to the Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) Regulations 2013 have been replaced with the Employment Tribunal Procedure Rules 2024
This is mainly because the body responsible for making the rules is now the Tribunal Procedure Committee. It was previously the Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
The changes have been made with the aim of making the rules easier to follow and to remove some of the bottlenecks in the Tribunal process.
What are the changes and what do they mean?
The changes to the rules are all fairly minor. If you’re currently making a claim, the impact on how you prepare for and present your case should be minimal. However, it’s worth taking note of the key changes:
1. The rules are now written more clearly
Minor drafting updates have been made to the rules to align with contemporary standards and clarify ambiguities.
2. References to Tribunal fees have been removed
As there are no Employment Tribunal fees, they are no longer referenced in the rules.
3. Tribunal decisions will now be approved digitally
Tribunal decisions and written reasons no longer require a physical or electronic signature. Instead, the judge will approve them digitally.
4. Legal officers can perform more functions
Legal officers (i.e. non-judges) can now perform a greater number of functions. However, if you disagree with a legal officer's decision, you can still request a review from a judge. This change aims to improve efficiency while keeping the necessary safeguards in place.
Keeping you informed
As always, we’ll be keeping a close eye on any other changes that the government makes to the rules around the Employment Tribunal process.
Keep an eye on our blog for further updates – or sign up to our newsletter to get the news straight to your inbox.
