Employment Tribunal Reform

According to reports in the Daily Mail and the Telegraph, Prime Minister David Cameron and Business Secretary Vince Cable are due to announce fundamental reforms today to the employment tribunal system today. Whilst the details remain unclear, the article asserts the following reforms are proposed:-

• a fee to lodge a claim. The Daily Mail states this is believed to be £500, other sources suggest a fee of one week's pay
  
• compulsory mediation for all tribunal claims
  
• increase in unfair dismissal qualifying period from one year to two years
  
• employment judges to sit alone (presumably meaning in all cases, not just the jurisdictions where they currently can/do)

They will also introduce an Employer's Charter, which will remind employers of their 'rights', such as the right to ask an employee to take annual leave at a time that suits the business, the right to ask staff to take a pay cut and the right to dismiss poorly performing staff.

Similar reports appear in The Times (paywall) and the Financial Times (registration required).