Employment tribunal videos get five stars for effort

The employment tribunal has decided to take proactive steps to help litigants in person with a series of videos covering everything from how to fill in a claim form to sharing documents with the other side and preparing for case management hearings.

Employment tribunal judges have written and produced the videos, the judiciary said, to ‘help you if you are bringing a claim to an employment tribunal or defending a claim that has been made against you’. The judges have also narrated them.

Obiter’s first impression was that more could have been done to make the videos more engaging. However, after watching half of them – there are 18 in total – we had a rethink. 

Employment judges are busy, with well-reported heavy workloads and ever-increasing cases, to have taken time to create these videos should be praised. It is fair to say the videos will not be winning any awards for cinematography. They are all, visually, rather dull - though Obiter appreciated the use of screenshots of forms and the use of stock images in some of the videos.

The important thing is the information, that is what LiPs need and these clips are packed with useful details which will be crucial to someone navigating the justice system without the help of legal representation.

It is informative and, though it is reminiscent of old school textbooks and Obiter would have chosen a more engaging way to provide the information these videos do, the time it would have taken for busy judges to produce these - basic though they are - should be appreciated. Hopefully it will help those that access them.

For once, Obiter will not review with humour but instead with good cheer on the judges that created the slides and narrated their videos. Though, if the ET decides to do something similar in the future, Obiter is available to provide advice on both video editing, audio recording, slideshow-making, and the oft-dismissed importance of a little razzle-dazzle.