Employment law
Workplace problems: preserve the dates before the detail blurs.
Organise contracts, policies, communications, workplace steps and the outcome under consideration.
Employees and employers
Process, status, reason and timing all affect the analysis.
Employment questions can involve contracts, pay, performance, conduct, redundancy, dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, absence, family leave, grievances, settlement or business change. The correct route depends on the facts and employment status.
Employment tribunal time limits can be strict and some are particularly short. Internal grievance, disciplinary or appeal steps do not necessarily preserve a tribunal deadline. Check the exact date and obtain timely guidance from Acas or a qualified adviser.
Build the record
Create a dated chronology and preserve the original documents.
Gather the offer, contract, written particulars, relevant policies, payslips, letters, emails, meeting notes and appeal information. Record when each event occurred and when decisions were communicated.
Keep evidence lawfully and respect confidentiality, data protection and employer systems. Do not remove material or record conversations on an assumption that it is permitted.
- Employment or worker status and start date
- The event, decision or pattern being questioned
- Internal process already started and next deadline
- Pay, notice, benefits and practical objective
Workplace process
Separate the legal question from the internal procedure.
A disciplinary, grievance, capability, redundancy or appeal process may have contractual and statutory significance. The documents, consistency, opportunity to respond and reason for a decision can all matter.
For employers, early planning should identify the decision-maker, evidence, policy, consultation requirements and communication. For workers, it should identify the response needed and the deadline for it.
Resolution routes
An internal solution and a legal claim are related but different.
Options may include informal resolution, an internal process, negotiation, Acas early conciliation or tribunal proceedings. Suitability depends on the objective, relationship, evidence, time limit and risk.
Before signing a settlement agreement or waiver, obtain the independent advice required for the document and understand payment, tax treatment, references, confidentiality and continuing obligations.
Immediate deadline check
Do not wait for an internal process to finish before checking time.
Acas states that tribunal claims have strict limits and that grievance, disciplinary or appeal procedures do not change the applicable time limit. Early conciliation can affect calculation where the conditions are met.
This page deliberately avoids calculating a date. Use the current Acas guidance and obtain advice on the exact facts immediately.
Preparation sequence
Prepare a useful employment enquiry
- 01
Check the deadline
Record the event date, employment end date and any current appeal or hearing date.
- 02
Identify the status
State the role, start date, contract type and employer entity.
- 03
Build the chronology
List the important meetings, decisions, communications and people involved.
- 04
Define the objective
Explain the practical result being explored and any ongoing employment relationship.
Questions to clarify
Common questions before the first conversation.
These answers are general orientation for England and Wales, not advice on a particular matter.
Does an internal grievance pause a tribunal deadline?
It should not be assumed to do so. Acas warns that internal grievance, disciplinary and appeal procedures do not change the time limit.
Must Acas be contacted before a tribunal claim?
Acas notification is generally required before an employment tribunal claim, subject to specific exceptions. The current process and exact deadline should be checked.
Can both employers and workers use this preparation guide?
Yes. It is a neutral checklist, but it is not advice and does not account for the different duties, rights or strategy on either side.
Official starting points
Check the current source.
These official links support general orientation only. They do not replace advice about a particular matter.
Prepare the first conversation
Turn the workplace issue into a concise, useful brief.
Collect the people, dates, documents and practical outcome before contacting a regulated legal provider. Do not include confidential information in this prototype.