On 17 January 2013, the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) launched a consultation titled ‘Early conciliation: consultation on proposals for implementation’.
Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson also announced plans to reduce the number of workplace disputes that end up at Employment Tribunal.
The following detail of the consultation is provided:
We announced, in the government response to the Resolving workplace disputes consultation, our intention to introduce an early conciliation process. This process would make it a requirement for most prospective claimants to send the details of their claim to Acas before they are able to lodge the claim with the employment tribunal. This proposal has received broad support from all stakeholders. It will enable Acas to offer the parties the opportunity to resolve their dispute without the need for tribunal involvement. We are taking the necessary primary powers to introduce early conciliation in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill.
The implementation of early conciliation requires secondary legislation and the development of the necessary administrative process. This consultation sets out how we intend that early conciliation should operate, together with a draft set of rules of procedure, and some questions on which we would welcome views.
This consultation closed on 15 February 2013.
Click here for details of consulation
Click here for announcement by Jo Swinson
