Legal Jargon

A legally binding agreement between an employer and an employee specifying the terms under which that person is employed, entitlements to redundancy, period of notice etc.

The party who starts a Court/Tribunal claim.

Money paid to make up for damage or loss caused by the Defendant’s actions. In a medical negligence claim, the principal purpose is to put the Claimant back into the position they would have been in if the injury or had not occurred. In Employment law, compensation is the monetary award to which an employee is entitled when successful in a claim at the Employment Tribunal.

A situation where an employee is so badly in the workplace that they are left with no choice but to resign. This might be in the form of changes to their working hours, conditions or role. As a result, they can claim that they have been ‘constructively dismissed’.

The document used to commence a claim. It is usually supported by Particulars of Claim but this depends on the type of claim and the procedure which must be followed.

A meeting arranged by an employer to discuss an employee’s performance, sickness, or absences and their capacity to carry out their role to the required standard.

The person making the application to the court.

The process where a party applies to a higher Court to review and potentially reverse the decision of a lower Court where they have grounds to do so.

Acas (Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service) is the independent, government-funded public body that supports both employers and employees in resolving employment disputes and building better workplace relationships. Acas also produces guidance that is often referred to within an Employment Tribunal.

Additional damages potentially awarded as a result of the defendant’s conduct. Aggravated damages are generally awarded to compensate the claimant for the additional harm that has been suffered.