{
  "id": 6609032,
  "title": "Workers’ rights overhaul pushes Employment Tribunal to breaking point",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/workers-rights-overhaul-pushes-employment-tribunal-to-breaking-point",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-10T16:13:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/workers-rights-overhaul-pushes-employment-tribunal-to-breaking-point/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Employment Tribunal cases in England and Wales have reached a record high of 70,000 cases from April to June 2023, as new employment law reforms come into effect. Single Employment Tribunal Receipts, or cases brought by individuals against employers, increased by nearly 30% during this period compared to the same time last year, according to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). Open caseload cases, or unresolved active cases, rose by 51% during the same period, as receipts continue to outpace disposals over the past year. Michelle Morgan, head of employment at Gardner Leader, expressed concern, stating that despite capacity-building efforts, the government is failing to adequately resource the system, leaving both employees and employers trapped in a process unable to deliver timely justice. Morgan added that while the capital city has long experienced lengthy delays, cases outside the city may be listed as far ahead as December 2029, creating a \"postcode lottery\" with outcomes dependent on geography as much as case merit. Concerns have arisen that the new workers' rights in the Employment Rights Act would exacerbate an already significant backlogged Tribunal. Chloe Grant, senior associate at disputes law firm Bellevue Law, noted that more than half a million claims now sit within the Employment Tribunal system, leading to longer waits, higher costs, and prolonged uncertainty for both employers and employees. James Townsend, partner at Payne Hicks Beach, emphasized that employment litigation is on the rise, and employers must remain vigilant, particularly considering further looming changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025, which are designed to strengthen workers' positions when disputes arise.",
  "summary": "Employment Tribunal cases in England and Wales hit a record high of 70,000 from April to June this year as the new employment law reforms begin to bite. Single Employment Tribunal Receipts, which are cases brought by an individual against an employer, rose by almost 30 per cent during those three months, compared to the [...]",
  "key_points": [
    "Employment Tribunal cases in England and Wales hit 70,000 from April to June 2023.",
    "Single Employment Tribunal Receipts rose 30% compared to same period last year.",
    "Open caseload cases increased 51%, with some cases listed as far ahead as December 2029."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}