The employment relations service Acas has released figures that show a marked increase in the number of businesses and employees seeking to avoid employment tribunals in recent months.

The volume of calls taken each month by the Acas helpline which have led to referrals to their Pre-Claim Conciliation service (PCC) has almost doubled since September. PCC is a free service which attempts to settle workplace grievances before they escalate to a potentially expensive employment tribunal hearing.

The service was introduced in April 2009 to accompany alterations to the Employment Act. In the period since its inception to the end of February 2010, 8,304 referrals to PCC were made by the helpline. Through these referrals, Acas estimates that over 5,000 tribunal claims have already been avoided.

Demand for the service has been rising steadily, with 2,700 referrals in the last quarter of 2009 alone. The first quarter of 2010 looks set to exceed that figure by at least 20%. On average, roughly 300 referrals are being made every week, and Acas has stated that it expects this number to rise to 400 in 2010.

Ed Sweeney, the Chair of Acas, commented on the figures, saying: “This data indicates that workers and employers are increasingly taking steps to avoid employment tribunals. The current economic climate has created difficult workplace challenges for managers, HR professionals and employees. The earlier issues can be sorted out, the more likely people will remain productive employees in the workplace.

“The service is quick. Over half of all resolved cases are completed in around three weeks instead of the six to nine months that most tribunal cases take. We have a responsibility to support the economic recovery by resolving workplace disputes early on, and, in doing so, avoiding costly, stressful and time-consuming employment tribunals.”

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