How do I start an employment tribunal claim?

Before you can submit an employment tribunal claim, you must first go through ACAS early conciliation, which is a mandatory pre-claim step. You notify ACAS of your intention to bring a claim by completing a simple online form on the ACAS website. A conciliator will then contact you and the employer to try to reach a settlement without the need for tribunal proceedings. If conciliation is successful, the claim is resolved and no tribunal claim is needed. If it is unsuccessful, or if either party decides they do not want to engage with the process, ACAS will issue an Early Conciliation Certificate with a unique reference number. This certificate pauses the limitation period for the duration of the conciliation. Once you have the certificate number, you can submit your claim using the ET1 form on the employment tribunals online service (employment-tribunals.service.gov.uk). You must describe your claim clearly, provide the ACAS certificate number, and submit the form before the time limit expires (three months less a day from the act complained of, extended by the conciliation period). There is no fee to submit a tribunal claim. After submission, the tribunal sends a copy to the employer (the respondent) and sets a timetable for the case. Depending on the type of claim, there may be a preliminary hearing followed by a full merits hearing.