IN AN EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL? READ THIS!
An appreciation by Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers
Anyone contemplating involvement in an employment tribunal, whether practitioner or litigant, should read this book, or at least have it to hand for reference. Indispensible for the practitioner, its clarity and readability make it immediately accessible, either for those interested in bringing their own cases before employment tribunals, (see Chapter 2 `Getting advice'), or those who would prefer to brief counsel. Whether you're a practitioner or not, this book, published by Bloomsbury Professional, is an excellent guide to the ways in which tribunals operate and the powers they have at their disposal.
The authors, Payne, White and Dixey, all members of the specialist employment law team at 5 Essex Court, bring, literally, a wealth of experience and indeed a refreshingly logical approach to tackling the often formidable challenges of tribunals. As they point out, employment law is a complex area and is fast becoming more so as employment tribunals continually become more popular as a means of resolving employment disputes.
If you have a mind to represent yourself over an employment issue, remember that legal aid is not available to you and, although you should receive every assistance whilst the tribunal is in progress, you will certainly benefit from outside help and advice, particularly points contained in this book.
As pointed out by the authors, `a party who displays an accurate knowledge of practice and procedure and sets out its position in a clear and persuasive way, has a head start when communicating with the tribunal, whether orally or in writing. This book is intended to assist in that process.'
But first things first! Before anyone embarks on the often lengthy and emotionally trying tribunal process, they should be aware of the types of claim a tribunal has the power to hear. These are contained in individual sections of individual statutes, so it is especially useful that the book contains an at-a-glance `Claims a tribunal can hear' chart (Appendix 1) which sets out graphically the statute and section which covers each typical complaint, together with the relevant employment periods and time limits (some of which are of course, extendable).
This latest third edition presents a number of updates and new sections which, for example, reflect legislative changes such as the Equality Act 2010. For ease of use, there is a detailed table of contents, index and glossary, plus extensive tables of statutes, statutory instruments and cases and EC material. If you're looking for an erudite, lucid work of reference which offers up the best strategies for employment tribunal success, this is it!