Clear, practical advice and support during Employment Tribunal

Background

When the directors of Colewood Digital & Automotive received an Employment Tribunal claim (ET1) from a former employee for unfair dismissal, it came as an unwelcome disruption.

The claim followed an internal redundancy process and the business owners reached out to us for guidance on what to do next. They were looking not just for legal support, but for clear, practical advice during what was understandably a stressful situation.

Approach

Our first step was to sit down with the directors and get a full picture of the situation. As we hadn’t been involved in the original redundancy process, it was important to understand what had happened and why the claim had been brought.

From that initial meeting, we identified some procedural risks in how the redundancy had been handled. We were transparent about the potential implications, discussing the pros and cons of two routes: seeking a commercial settlement or defending the claim at tribunal.

Following the rejection of a commercial settlement, we got to work preparing the case. Throughout the process, the former employee struggled to comply with tribunal orders and missed key deadlines, complicating the case.  We guided our client through every stage, ensuring they felt supported and informed.

Outcome

We submitted a comprehensive response to the claim and handled all subsequent case management steps in line with tribunal directions. The matter was listed for a 3-day hearing.

At tribunal, the judge found almost entirely in our client’s favour. Aside from one minor procedural issue, which we had flagged early on and advised could carry a small risk, the tribunal sided with our client on all major points.

As a result, the award to the former employee was minimal – 1 weeks’ pay, being the time the Judge believed it would have taken to complete the missed procedural step – and the business avoided the reputational and financial damage of a more serious outcome.