Employment Tribunal Judgments to Be Available Online
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has confirmed that from the end of this year or early 2017, recent employment tribunal decisions handed down in England, Scotland and Wales are to be available to access online.
Tribunal decisions delivered prior to the introduction of the online database will not be accessible under the new system, and will need to be obtained via the current method (either in person from the office of the tribunal in Bury St. Edmonds or by post).
Best Practice
On one level this is only an administrative change. However, the accessibility of judgments raises some interesting and potentially important issues.
Employers should be aware that as a direct consequence, tribunal judgements and details of witness evidence given during hearings will be easily searchable, findable and reportable from 2017. The reputational risks associated with this will be an additional factor to take into consideration when contemplating whether to defend tribunal proceedings at a full hearing.