The number of businesses and employees trying to avoid employment tribunal claims has continued to rise in recent months, according to figures published today by Acas.
The PCC service was launched in April 2009 alongside the new Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures following the Government’s Dispute Resolution Review in 2007.
The free service aims to settle workplace issues that could escalate to an expensive tribunal. It is also much faster, taking only two weeks compared to a Tribunal which can take several months. This reduced time to resolution can also greatly reduce any potential employee and employer ralationship breakdowns.
Monthly calls to the Acas helpline, which have resulted in referrals to the early conciliation service – pre-claim conciliation (PCC), have almost doubled since September 2009.
By the end of February, 8,304 PCC referrals had been made from the Acas helpline since the service was launched to accompany changes to the Employment Act in April last year. Acas estimates more than 5,000 tribunal claims have been avoided already.
Rising demand for the service has resulted in a steady increase in referrals culminating in more than 2,700 in the last quarter of 2009. The first quarter of 2010 is on track to exceed this figure by at least 20%. Currently, around 300 referrals are being received every week on average, and Acas expects this number to rise to approximately 400 during 2010.
The pre-claim conciliation services can be requested by calling the Acas helpline on 08457 47 47 47.
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