More guidance issued to help employment tribunal users during pandemic

On 19 March, the Presidents of the employment tribunals in England and Wales and Scotland directed that all hearings listed to start by 26 June should be converted to case management hearings by telephone or “other electronic means”. The resulting uncertainty for tribunal users has now been alleviated by the publication of a FAQs document for tribunal users, plus a tracker, which explains which courts and tribunals are open, staffed or suspended during the coronavirus outbreak.

The FAQs document includes answers to 21 different questions, and concludes with a list of weblinks. Useful information includes:

• An explanation of how respondents can arrange for copies of ET1s to be sent to an e-mail inbox when their premises are closed because of the outbreak
• The status of directions: generally those relating to hearings listed up to 26 June will be suspended pending the case management hearing, but those in relation to hearings starting on or after 29 June will remain effective 
• The etiquette that applies to video hearings
• How best to communicate with employment tribunals during the current crisis