Employment Tribunal Awards
If you have been awarded an Employment Tribunal or ACAS Concilliation award and are having trouble getting what's due to you, help is at hand.
In March 2010, The Sheriffs Office blog announced that it would soon become much easier and quicker for people who have won Employment Tribunal awards or ACAS Conciliation settlements to use High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEO) to actually get paid their award.
The new procedure is called the Employment Tribunal Fast Track scheme and this started on 6 April 2010. The same proceedure for ACAS Conciliation awards is currently due to be released in October 2010.
Further good news is that there is no lower limit to instruct our HCEOs. This provides scope for all those with outstanding awards to still enforce and be paid what they are due, plus interest. The court fee of £50 for transfer up will remain, but the abortive fee applied to Judgment Enforcement will be waived in the event that the HCEO is unable to enforce.
The Tribunals Service is also recruiting new panel members to sit on employment tribunals to support the increasing workload of the service. 35 new employment judges were appointed last year and the Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of 341 new panel members, 293 in England and Wales and 48 in Scotland.
We are delighted that the Fast Track scheme is coming in and look forward to supporting individuals, solicitors and their clients with outstanding awards.