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Section 27 Equality Act 2010 says it’s unlawful to victimise someone by subjecting them to a detriment because they have done (or may do) a protected act—for example, bringing or alleging an Equality Act claim. The Employment Appeal Tribunal’s decision in Carozzi  clarifies how tribunals should apply that test in practice. In the Carozzi case na employee asked for notes of a meeting with a manager. The manager (Ms Withers) refused, knowing the notes included complaints that m

Introduction The Employment Appeal Tribunal’s decision in Aslam v Transport UK London Bus Ltd (formerly Abellio)  [2025] EAT 113 offers crucial guidance for both claimants and respondents. It affirms that justice ultimately prevails when tribunals focus on the substance  of a case, not merely technicalities. But it also shows how much smoother the process could have been if the claimant’s ET1 had expressly pleaded both limbs of victimisation under the Equality Act 2010 from t

Many employees assume that once their ET1 claim form has been submitted, they can easily “add in” new claims, legal arguments or factual allegations later in the process. This is wrong. The Employment Tribunal has a discretion—not an obligation—to allow amendments. There is no automatic right to expand an ET1 after it has been lodged, especially where a claimant tries to introduce: a new cause of action (e.g., discrimination, whistleblowing, automatic unfair dismissal), or ne

When starting an Employment Tribunal claim, your ET1 claim form is the single most important document you will draft. It is not a placeholder. It is not a “first attempt.” And it is not a document you can simply expand later when you remember more points. Your ET1 must contain the full substance of your case from the outset.Failing to do so can severely limit, or even prevent, your ability to pursue your legal rights. In this guide, we explain why your ET1 must be complete, w

When you’ve been treated badly at work, the natural impulse is to " throw the kitchen sink " at the employer. Many Claimants believe that if they sling enough mud at the wall, something is bound to stick. In reality, the opposite is true. A case cluttered with minor, " duff " allegations doesn't just confuse the issues—it can actively sink your chances of success. 1. The Judge’s " Broad Brush " Employment Judges are not forensic accountants of every interaction you’ve ever ha

When people think of a solicitor, they often imagine someone in a grey suit, sitting behind a mahogany desk, speaking in a language designed to confuse. My world—and my office—looks a little different. To understand how I practice law, you have to understand my home life. My husband and one of my sons have ADHD. My son is also a Type 1 Diabetic, requiring constant vigilance and a deep understanding of invisible burdens. Meanwhile, I am on the spectrum, as is my other son. In

AI is here, and many of my clients are already using tools like Gemini and Co-Pilot to try and make sense of their legal situations. In my previous blog post: " How to use AI without annoying your Judge (or your solicitor); AI is a good assistant but a terrible lawyer! " , I issued a strong word of caution. We discussed the dangers of AI " hallucinations " (inventing fake cases), and why AI is never a substitute for qualified legal advice. If you haven't read that post yet, p

In law, information is the raw material from which strategy is built. As your solicitor, my advice is a direct reflection of the facts placed before me. If those facts are incomplete, filtered, or inaccurate, the resulting legal strategy will be fundamentally flawed. The Mirror Effect Think of legal advice as a mirror: it can only reflect the image you present to it. If a client withholds a " difficult " document or fails to mention a key conversation, the legal assessment I

It is a common sight in my practice: AI being used as a shortcut to " sound legal ," usually with messy results. However, that is not to say AI doesn’t have value. It absolutely does. The trick isn't in avoiding it; it’s in knowing when to let it lead and when to keep your hands firmly on the wheel. In the world of employment law, AI can be a powerful assistant, but it is a terrible master. Here is how to use AI responsibly when preparing for your case. 1. Remember: AI is Not

In 2012, the qualifying period for "ordinary" unfair dismissal was increased from one year to two. The logic seemed simple: by making it harder to sue, the number of Employment Tribunal claims would drop. Instead, it created a "Day One" loophole that has spent the last decade clogging the system with complex, multi-day hearings. Here is why raising the qualifying period was one of the most counterproductive moves in the history of UK employment law. 1. The Pivot to "Day One"

One of the most common sources of anxiety for Claimants is the Schedule of Loss . Many worry that if they get a figure wrong or miss a category of compensation, they will be "stuck" with that mistake forever, potentially losing out on thousands of pounds. Here is the truth: Your Schedule of Loss is expected to change.  In fact, it is nearly impossible to get it "100% correct" at the start of a claim. Why Accuracy is Impossible at the Start A large part of what you are claimin

Have you ever walked out of a meeting with your lawyer feeling more confused than when you walked in? Do you think your solicitor is talking in a different language or being deliberately evasive? It’s a common feeling for claimants. You want a straight "yes" or "no," but instead, you get a series of "howevers" and "notwithstandings." The truth is, solicitors aren't usually trying to be difficult. They are performing a "triage"  of your case, weighing the legal merits, the evi

The Acas Early Conciliation process has long been a mandatory step before bringing an Employment Tribunal claim. But is it still fit for purpose—or could it be abandoned in the future? The Recent Change: 6 Weeks to 12 Weeks On 1 December 2025 , the law changed to extend the Early Conciliation period from 6 weeks to 12 weeks . The aim was to give parties more time to resolve disputes without going to tribunal. But will this fix the underlying problems? Why Early Conciliation O

When Claimants start an Employment Tribunal claim, many believe that more is more—that listing every possible allegation will increase their chances of success. In reality, this approach often backfires. Here’s why: 1. More Allegations = Longer Hearings Every allegation needs evidence. The more allegations you include, the more documents, witnesses, and arguments you’ll need. Longer hearings mean higher costs and fewer options for free or affordable representation. Many Claim

The House of Commons library has published this useful infographic giving an visual overview of all the key stages of litigation in the Employment Tribunal . Employment Tribunals: The Essentials If you believe you’ve been treated unlawfully—through unfair dismissal, discrimination, or unpaid wages—the tribunal is your path to redress. Here is how the process moves from dispute to decision. 1. The Prerequisite: Acas & Grievances Internal First:  You should attempt to resolve t

Notify Acas of my dispute using the Early Conciliation Notification process . The laws requires I do this before I make a claim to the Employment Tribunal; plus its a value opportunity to try to resolve my dispute without the need to litigate. It'll take Acas about 5-6 weeks to get in touch, so I will start this process as quickly as possible. Appeal to my employer. Statutory guidance requires your employer to hear your appeal (by an impartial manager) or face an increase in

In late 2025 the Government extended the basic Early Conciliation period up to 12-weeks (from 6-weeks) to alleviate the current pressures in the system. Prior to this change Acas were only able to make contact with parties in the fifth of the six weeks; meaning that there was very little time available for actual conciliation. Although the lead time will be the same, parties should now enjoy a six to seven week period to try to reach a settlement. And yes - it's been confirme

Citizen's Advice have produced, in my opinion, very good guides to drafting a Schedule of Loss for an unfair dismissal claim and/or discrimination. Preparing a Schedule of Loss for an unfair dismissal claim Work out how much compensation you could get for discrimination Protect (a specialist advice charity on whistle-blowing claims) has also produced a guide to drafting a Schedule of Loss for whistle-blowing detriment and automatic unfair dismissal claims. Drafting a Schedul

In late 2025 the Employment Tribunal published a series of videos on YouTube to assist litigants navigate the system. How to fill out an ET1 Claim Form Types of discrimination 1 Types of discrimination 2 Who counts as a disabled person? How Tribunals decide if someone is disabled Claims for failure to make reasonable adjustments Claims for discrimination arising from disability Unfair dismissal basics - part 1 Unfair dismissal basics - part 2 Unfair dismissal - Remedies Whist