A Midland employment lawyer has urged workers not to allow new tribunal fees to deter them from pursuing their grievances.

Employment expert Lisa Kemp says employees across the region should be aware of their rights in light of the controversial tribunal fees introduced last summer.

The fees were recently the subject of a Judicial Review which ruled that they are here to stay. The Employment Tribunal fees, payable both when a claim is commenced and ahead of any subsequent hearing, were introduced last July.

The new-look charges start at £160 to issue an employee-led tribunal claim and £230 for a hearing. But they only apply to basic claims and for the majority of employment tribunals the issue fee is £250, with a hearing cost of £950.

“The employment law landscape has changed rapidly over the past 18 months and, perhaps unsurprisingly, we’ve found that many employees still aren’t fully aware of what options are available to them when it comes to their entitlements and raising a complaint against their employer,” said Miss Kemp, an assistant solicitor at Worcestershire based mfg Solicitors.

“There were various reasons why fees for bringing a tribunal claim were introduced – with the main aim being to give financial savings for the Government-led Employment Tribunal Service.

“But my view is that their introduction will also deter vexatious litigators and encourage parties to resolve matters between themselves at an early stage, with a tribunal a last resort.”