Making an employment tribunal claim?
If your dispute hasn't been resolved through conciliation or settlement, the next step is submitting a formal claim to the employment tribunal. Understanding the process, the forms, and the deadlines helps you start on solid ground.
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What happens
What to expect at this stage
Submit your ET1 form
The ET1 is the official claim form submitted to the employment tribunal. It identifies you, your employer, and sets out the basis of your claim — including the type of claim (unfair dismissal, discrimination, etc.), the key facts, and what remedy you're seeking. Getting this right matters because it defines the scope of your case.
Submit your ET1 form
The ET1 is the official claim form submitted to the employment tribunal. It identifies you, your employer, and sets out the basis of your claim — including the type of claim (unfair dismissal, discrimination, etc.), the key facts, and what remedy you're seeking. Getting this right matters because it defines the scope of your case.
Your employer responds with an ET3
Your employer has 28 days from receiving your claim to submit their ET3 response, setting out their defence. This is where you'll see their version of events and the arguments they intend to run. If they don't respond in time, they may be unable to defend the claim at all.
Preliminary hearing and case management
The tribunal will often hold a preliminary hearing to clarify the issues, set directions, and establish a timetable — deadlines for disclosure, witness statements, the hearing bundle, and the final hearing date. These directions are orders, not suggestions. Missing them can have serious consequences for your case.
Understand the costs position
Employment tribunals generally don't award costs — each side bears their own. However, costs can be awarded if a party or their representative has acted unreasonably, vexatiously, or if a claim had no reasonable prospect of success. Understanding this helps you assess risk realistically.
How Yerty helps
How Yerty helps at this stage
Track your deadlines
Response windows, preliminary hearing dates, disclosure deadlines, bundle submission dates — keep sight of every date that matters to your claim.
Keep your documents organised
Your ET1, the ET3 response, correspondence with the tribunal, and all supporting evidence — stored and structured in one place as your case develops.
Your timeline of events
A clear chronology of what happened and when — essential for your claim narrative and for keeping the tribunal focused on the key facts.
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Common questions
Questions people ask at this stage
Most claims must be submitted within 3 months less 1 day of the act complained of (expected to extend to 6 months from October 2026). The ACAS early conciliation period can extend this deadline — but the calculation depends on when you contacted ACAS and when your EC certificate was issued. Getting the dates right is essential.
Built on real cases. Reviewed by practising solicitors.
Build on real situations — giving you grounded insight in what actually happens
Reviewed by a practising SRA-regulated employment solicitor — ensuring the information on our platform is accurate and reliable
Ministry of Justice LawTech Programme — accepted into the MoJ's programme supporting innovation in access to justice
Justice Technology Association member — committed to ethical, responsible legal technology
Build on real situations - giving you grounded insight in what actually happens
Reviewed by a practising SRA-regulated employment solicitor - ensuring the information on our platform is accurate and reliable
Ministry of Justice LawTech Programme - accepted into the MoJ's programme supporting innovation in access to justice
Justice Technology Association member - committed to ethical, responsible legal technology
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