There appears to be increasing recognition and acknowledgement of the escalating build up and backlog of Employment Tribunal cases. There are reports for instance of some claims to Employment Tribunals presently being listed for a full hearing some five years after the events giving rise to the claims.
In response to this, it is being reported by The Law Society Gazette that the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA), an organisation representing the views and interests of lawyers in the UK specialising in employment law, has proposed and called for compulsory mediation for claims being made to Employment Tribunals. The ELA has said this would encourage and facilitate settlement in a good number of cases, prior to the need for a full hearing before an Employment Tribunal. It is hoped that in this way the escalating backlog of claims waiting to be heard by Employment Tribunals could be significantly reduced.
This appears to be a sound and potentially very effective suggestion by the ELA for addressing the problem of there being such a backlog and long waiting time for hearings to be heard by Employment Tribunals. It also raises the related issue of increasing the need for mediators in the field of employment law disputes and the corresponding potential growth in work for mediators in this area. A prospect and opportunity that may well be of interest in the future for those enrolling on Pathfinder House dispute resolution courses.
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