Nearly four years after an employment tribunal ruled in her favour, Marianna Michael says the experience still haunts her.
“It nearly ruined my entire career. My mental health suffered. Many of us involved had been lied to, creating an incredibly toxic and distressing environment,” says London-based Michael, now 33.
Employment tribunal claims are on the rise – up 39 per cent on last year, with Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) reporting record demand. Such is the backlog now that hearings are even being scheduled for 2030. “We are currently waiting for around 18 months for a case management hearing after a claim has been lodged,” confirms Sarah Calderwood, partner at Gorvins Solicitors. “Claims were often dealt with within six to 12 months, but this does not seem possible anymore.”
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This is in part due to a shift towards higher awareness of workers rights – lawyers are anticipating cases will grow further still, as from January 2027 employees will have six months to submit their claims compared with the current three months, and will be able to bring unfair dismissal claims after just six months service, rather than the current two years. Economic pressures, changing expectations around flexible work and the availability of AI to make claims easier to bring are also thought to be driving the number of tribunals.
