Legal | Give tribunals £100k damages power, top lawyers suggest

The Law Commission has claimed that the current employment tribunal system is ‘not working as well as it should’ and has issued several proposals sought to improve the way in which employment law disputes are handled – including giving tribunals the power to award damages up to £100k.

The statutory independent body recommends that employment tribunals are handed the power to give damages in breach of contract claims of up to £100,000 (the current limit is £25,000). The report suggested that this should reduce the need to pursue claims in two separate courts.

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Another proposed change included an increase in the time limit for bringing employment claims to six months. This time limit currently stands at three months for some types of claim.

Additionally, the legal body has suggested that tribunals should be able to hear complaints from employees who are working hours in excess of the maximum working time limits – which is something that some employees may experience during the coronavirus pandemic.