WIREDGOV

As organisations that advocate for workers’ ability to enforce their rights, we strongly oppose the government’s plans to impose fees on people who afile an employment tribunal claim.

Following a landmark victory by trade union UNISON, the previous employment fees regime was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court due to its restriction on access to justice and discriminatory impact.

It appears the government is intent on repeating the mistakes of the past.

We believe reintroducing tribunal fees would block many from lodging worthy claims and give a green light to bad employers to exploit their workers.

There are already considerable barriers to those seeking justice at work:

• An under-resourced employment tribunal system leading to significant delays in cases being heard.
• An under-funded labour market enforcement system that doesn’t have enough inspectors to proactively enforce employment rights.
• Lack of awareness of key employment rights.
• A complicated process for bringing a claim.
• Difficulty in accessing legal support.
• Strict time limits on filing claims.

Workers seeking recovery of wage theft, unpaid redundancy pay and compensation for unfair dismissal are to be asked to stump up extra money at an incredibly tough moment in their lives. Fee exemption procedures are complex and difficult to understand for many, especially within the three months' time limit for most claims.

It is also being levied at a time when rising inflation and subdued wages are putting pressure on family budgets. Access to justice must never be contingent on your ability to pay.

Meanwhile bad employers are being given the go-ahead to undercut good ones, safe in the knowledge they are less likely to face claims in the employment tribunal.

Employment rights are only real if they are enforced. Tribunal fees risk pricing many workers out of workplace justice, especially workers at greater risk of employment law violations such as pregnant workers, disabled workers and migrant workers.

We urge the government to reconsider its plans.

Signatories

1. Trades Union Congress
2. Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX)
3. Maternity Action
4. Pregnant Then Screwed 
5. Young Women’s Trust (Clairee Reindorp, CEO)
6. Liberty
7. Mother Pukka, Anna Whitehouse
8. Inclusion London
9. BARAC UK 
10. Citizens Advice
11. Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU)
12. The William Gomes Podcast 
13. After Exploitation
14. Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS)
15. forRefugees
16. Migrant Voice
17. Kalayaan
18. Work Rights Centre
19. Southeast and East Asian Centre (SEEAC)
20. Kanlungan Filipino Consortium
21. Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) 
22. Community Policy Forum
23. Right to Remain
24. Advice Services Alliance
25. Anti-Slavery International
26. Migrants’ Rights Network
27. Disability Rights UK
28. Legal Action Group
29. Protect
30. Fawcett Society
31. Your Employment Settlement Service
32. Just Fair
33. Labour Behind the Label
34. Legal Aid Practitioners Group
35. Highfields Centre 
36. War on Want
37. The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)
38. Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG)
39. Equally Ours
40. Snowdrop Project
41. Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers 
42. Roma Support Group
43. No Sweat
44. Free Representation Unit
45. Hope for Justice
46. Greater Manchester Law Centre
47. Joseph Rowntree Foundation