The number of employment tribunal cases awaiting a hearing or decision reached 50,518 at the end of 2022, according to new research. According to HM Courts & Tribunals Service records this was up from 47,041 in December 2021, with the backlog showing a stead month by month increase.
The Law Society of England and Wales has issued a warning that mounting tribunal backlogs are leaving employees and businesses in “limbo” for too long. Cases are often listed for hearing more than 12 months from when the request was first made, while more complex claims can take more than two years to get a judgement, the Law Society explained.
Other experts have added that this is creating “considerable difficulties” for businesses and HR teams in defending claims, with “administrative issues” contributing to the backlog, given lack of resources.
The government says it has invested £2.85 million in the system to enable up to 1,700 more cases to come before tribunals by the end of March 2023.
