DISCRIMINATION: threat of more large-scale action to come


A record number of claims have been lodged at employment tribunals in the last year, it has emerged, thanks to new laws on age discrimination and a surge in equal pay and sex discrimination cases against public bodies.



Some 1,500 age discrimination claims were filed between October 2007, when the laws came into force, and June this year, according to figures issued this week by the Tribunals Service. A further 200 such claims are coming in every month, a spokeswoman said.



Meanwhile, equal pay and sex discrimination claims rose from 17,268 and 14,250 between April 2005 and March 2006, to 44,013 and 28,153 in 2006/07, up by 155% and 100% respectively. Employment law practitioners said this could be a sign of more large-scale action to come, but suggested it is the new category of age discrimination claims that is the most important trend.



Dr John McMullen, head of employment law at Newcastle and Leeds firm Watson Burton, said high rates of equal pay claims will last at least another year, and that tribunals and the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service will be 'struggling' if extra resources are not found. But the high number of age-related cases is 'very significant for a new kind of claim', he added.



Richard Linskell, secretary of the Employment Lawyers Association and a partner at London firm Dawsons, predicted that age discrimination would eventually represent one of the most popular forms of claim.



David Williams, head of employment at City firm Kemp Little, said the numbers indicated that 'people are becoming more aware of their rights'.



Rupert White