Great Britain/ Free-of-charge employment tribunals are once again swamped with cases. After charges for the UK’s employment tribunals were abolished in July 2017 (c.f. article No. 8546 and No. 10321), cases have once again swarmed back to be heard. Latest government statistics show that between July and September the number of individual complaints recorded rose 64% as compared with the same period a year ago. This significant rise confirms the Supreme Court as well as the trade unions belief that legal costs put in place in 2013 and which could reach as high as £1,200 (€1,359) per person, was hindering some from turning towards the courts. After having almost completely disappeared, complaints over illegal salary deductions (as for instance low holiday pay) have again risen to the surface. However class action complaints have not risen as a result and the number of collective complaints fell 15%. This may be because group action become commonplace when the legal costs were introduced as complainants tried to lower expenses.
News update as of 20 December 2017
On the menu: In Great Britain labor tribunals are once again swamped with claims as legal fees are done away with for the second time, Belgium’s Labor Minister is looking to regulate email communications outside of working hours; in the EU (CJEU) Uber has been classed as a transport company and thus the Member States can regulate its service provision conditions as such; South Korean auto negotiations are as difficult as ever, and in the US AT&T has come to a salary agreement for staff at its shops and call centers.
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