Increases to discrimination awards

With effect from 6 April 2019, awards for Injury to Feelings increased as follows:

• The lowest band (for less serious cases) £900 – £8,800
• The middle band (for more serious cases) £8,800 – £26,300
• The upper band (in the most serious cases) £26,300 – £44,000

In exceptional cases, awards can be in excess of £44,000.

In addition to compensation for injury to feelings, the Tribunal can also award compensation for loss of earnings (depending on the nature of the claim).  As there is no cap on the amount of compensation which can be awarded for unlawful discrimination, the total cost can be considerable.

Since the removal of Tribunal fees, the number of discrimination claims has increased.  Employees are increasingly aware of their rights, and are prepared to enforce them.  Discrimination law is notoriously complicated, so even when employers try and do the right thing, they can still fall foul of the law.  For these reasons, it is easy to see why employers are concerned about discrimination claims.

As with most legal issues, prevention is better (and certainly less expensive) than the cure.  One of the best ways of preventing discrimination claims is for employers to raise awareness and increase understanding of the relevant issues.

Our award winning Employment team offers an ILM accredited training course (“An Introduction to Employment Law“) which is specifically designed to:

• Reduce the risk of discrimination claims;
• Make the organisation a better place to work;
• Assist employers to defend discrimination claims.

The Team also offers “Augment”, which is a fixed fee 24/7 helpline.  Augment allows you to take advice from fully qualified solicitors in relation to discrimination (and other employment related) issues on an “as and when required” basis.  As it’s a fixed fee, you have the comfort of knowing there will not be an unexpected bill at the end of the month.

If you would like to know more about Augment, our ILM accredited training, or how we can assist you with your employment issues, please contact Alex Evans.