Legal battle over bid to charge to go to employment tribunals

From The Herald: 12 July 2013: Legal battle over bid to charge to go to employment tribunals

MOVES to charge workers hundreds of pounds to take unscrupulous employers to tribunals are in “disarray”, with lawyers acting for Westminster chided for wasting time at one of Scotland’s highest courts, it has been claimed.
Employment lawyers went to the Court of Session this week to halt plans by the Ministry of Justice to introduce fees for those wanting to proceed through the employment tribunal service with claims for lost wages, discrimination or unfair dismissal.
It could see workers forced to pay up to £950 to have the most serious cases heard following the reforms, the first of their kind since the tribunal system was set up more than 50 years ago.

The UK Government claims the changes will move some of the £74 million cost of running tribunals from the taxpayer to those who use the system.
But concerns have been raised that the fees will deter workers from pursuing bosses and restrain access to justice.
MOVES to charge workers hundreds of pounds to take unscrupulous employers to tribunals are in “disarray”, with lawyers acting for Westminster chided for wasting time at one of Scotland’s highest courts, it has been claimed.

Employment lawyers went to the Court of Session this week to halt plans by the Ministry of Justice to introduce fees for those wanting to proceed through the employment tribunal service with claims for lost wages, discrimination or unfair dismissal.
It could see workers forced to pay up to £950 to have the most serious cases heard following the reforms, the first of their kind since the tribunal system was set up more than 50 years ago.

The UK Government claims the changes will move some of the £74 million cost of running tribunals from the taxpayer to those who use the system.
But concerns have been raised that the fees will deter workers from pursuing bosses and restrain access to justice.

Read the article on The Herald