Employment Law and HR

Legal Expenses Insurance for Employment Tribunals

Safeguard your business from the growing threat of Employment Tribunal claims with our independent, FCA-regulated Legal Expenses Insurance (LEI).

An optional component of our Employment Law and HR support, by underpinning our advice with LEI, you have maximum reassurance that your business is protected against unfair dismissal and other costly employee claims.

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How we help

A safety net against costly claims

Becoming entangled in an Employment Tribunal claim can put a significant drain on your time, energy and finances. At WorkNest, our ultimate aim is to help you prevent employee issues from escalating into full-blown claims. However, should the worst happen, our LEI offers an added layer of protection for your organisation in difficult times.

  • Covers your defence costs, representation and awards
  • Protection against all types of claims, including unfair dismissal, discrimination and TUPE
  • No self-insurance model, no conflict of interest
  • Expert support from our dedicated Litigation Team throughout the claims process
  • Legal representation from a barrister included in the cost

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Consistently high achievers in defending claims

In 2021/22, the average award for unfair dismissal was £13,541. More complex case types, such as age and disability discrimination, can cost employers closer to £30,000. With statistics showing that the volume of claims is rising year-on-year since fees were abolished, and research revealing that they are becoming more complex and costlier to resolve, receiving the right support has never been more important.

With unlimited practical support from WorkNest in all areas of Employment Law, you’re not only 77% less likely to encounter a claim but eight times more likely to be succeed at trial with an expert to guide you through the process.

Dramatically reduced risk.

Popular FAQs

Common questions about our Legal Expenses Insurance for Employment Tribunals, answered by our Employment Law and Litigation specialists.

What are the benefits of the insurance being independent from WorkNest?

Unlike some of our competitors, our LEI is placed with an independent insurer, i.e. we don’t self-insure or insure with a company in any way related to us. The benefit of this is that there’s no conflict of interest, enabling us to provide advice that is genuinely commercial, not overly restrictive, and has only your best interests in mind.

What if we’re looking to bring a claim against an ex-employee?

Our LEI can be utilised to pursue claims against third parties or former employees who breach restrictive covenants by contacting your clients or working for a competitor post-termination.

Are there any stipulations? Anything that might invalidate the insurance?

While LEI enables you to make people decisions without being overly cautious, it doesn’t give employers free reign to do anything they want. If you choose not to follow the advice given to you by your dedicated team of Employment Law specialists, you won’t be covered in the event of a claim. In each situation, we’ll help you to take the most appropriate course of action based on a balanced assessment of the risks.

Can you deal with Employment Tribunal claims, or is this triaged outside of WorkNest?

Should you receive a claim, your dedicated Employment Law adviser, who will have dealt with the matter up until that point, will conduct a full handover to our Litigation Team. They will explain the case history, share all the relevant documentation and offer their views on the prospects of the claim. Our Litigation Team will then take over all the prep work, including drafting a defence, producing bundles, dealing with Acas and the other side, and briefing counsel. Rest assured this is a smooth process, with everything kept inside WorkNest, and you will be in safe hands throughout.

If I don’t take LEI, what happens in the event of a claim?

Our Litigation Team will still be able to support you through the claims process for an agreed fee. Our charging rates are amongst the lowest available despite our market-leading win rates. We will always do our best to secure the most cost-efficient outcome for you regardless of the circumstances.

I’ve never had a claim before – why would I need to take LEI?

For the same reason you take out any insurance policy – to guard against the high cost of defending an Employment Tribunal claim. The premium cost is very low compared to the potential payout, especially as it covers the cost of representation as well as any potential compensation. You don’t have to have LEI, but it could significantly impact your bottom line if something goes wrong, given that the cost of even the most basic unfair dismissal claim could be £20-25,000 when legal costs are factored in. Unfortunately, the latest Tribunal statistics suggest that employers now are more vulnerable than ever.

How much does an Employment Tribunal cost?

Since 2017, it does not cost anything to make a Tribunal claim and that has seen the number of claims increase exponentially. If a disgruntled employee wants to make a claim against you, all they need is a laptop and a spare 10 minutes. Once that claim is submitted, you are into a process which is not easy or quick to get out of. The average compensation payment in an unfair dismissal claim is around £15,000 and legal fees can often match that. As a result, it makes sense to have the benefit and peace of mind of Legal Expenses Insurance which will cover these costs.

Can you help us to detect issues before they result in a claim?

First and foremost, our aim is to help you prevent people problems before they arise and, if they do, help you manage and resolve them quickly and compliantly. We do this through unlimited pragmatic advice and guidance, provided by dedicated Employment Law specialists. Plus, for organisations with larger case volumes, we can produce MI reports to uncover any emerging issues and problem hotspots. That way, you can recognise, and with our help resolve, employee issues before they escalate into full-blown claims.

Explore our fixed-fee Employment Law support

We do more than just legal expenses insurance...

Why choose us?

Experts in Employment 
Law & HR

At WorkNest, we’re known for our bespoke service and the quality of our support. Not only is our expertise unmatched, but we take the time to know you so that we can function as a true extension of your team.

  • Your own small team of dedicated experts
  • Commercial, pragmatic advice tailored to you
  • Bespoke contracts, policies and handbooks
  • Trusted by over 35,000 organisations
  • Recognised as a leading firm by the Legal 500

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