Employment Tribunal Time Limits

An employment tribunal is a specialised judicial body that resolves disputes between workers and employers upon the submitting of a claim. It serves as the main forum for resolving issues related to unfair dismissal, discrimination, and wage disputes. Employment tribunals are part of the wider judicial system and handle claims from individuals who believe they have been treated unlawfully by employers or employees in their workplace.

An employment tribunal claim is a formal request that is made to resolve a dispute between an employee and an employer. The claim can only be made if the claimant has experienced unlawful conduct by the employer which includes unfair dismissal, discrimination, wage disputes, and other workplace issues. The tribunal will be the independent body who will assess the claim and use the evidence provided to make a decision. The employee does not have to pay to make the claim however other costs may be involved such as legal fees.

Standard time limits

Employment tribunal claims are often based on unfair dismissal, constructive dismissal, discrimination or whistleblowing which often comes with a six-month time limit from the date of the situation or the date of the dismissal, minus one day. This six-month limit is a new update from the previous three-month limit, which was extended in the Employment Rights Act 2025, effective October 2026.

Acas Early Conciliation

Before most claims are submitted, the employee must notify Acas in order to commence Early Conciliation. THE Early Conciliation period can last up to twelve weeks which is double the previous six week maximum which was changed on 1 December 2025. During this time period, the tribunal time limit is paused which allows the employee an extra twelve weeks to submit a claim. Once the conciliation ends, Acas issues a certificate to the claimant which they will use to file their tribunal claim.

Extensions and exceptions

It is very rare for an extension to be granted once the time limit has passed and is only able to be granted if it is deemed that it was not reasonably practicable to submit the claim on time. That said, in some cases it is deemed that it is just and equitable to extend the period. With this in mind, it is apparent that judges have discretion and can grand extensions if the circumstances demand it; however, extensions are difficult for a claimant to obtain which is why it is strongly advised that the claims are submitted within the statutory period.

If you require expert legal advice or support with any aspect of your matter, our experienced team of solicitors at Aston Bond are here to help. We are committed to providing clear, practical and tailored legal solutions to help you move forward with confidence. Contact our team today on 01753 486 777 or email info@astonbond.co.uk to discuss how we can assist