What are the stages of an employment tribunal claim?

In broad terms: the problem happens, you consider a grievance, you contact ACAS for mandatory Early Conciliation, that conciliation period runs its course, you file an ET1 claim form, your employer files an ET3 response, the tribunal manages the case (setting deadlines), both sides disclose documents and prepare a Schedule of Loss, witness statements are exchanged, a final hearing takes place, and — win or lose — either side may appeal, followed by enforcement if a judgment isn't paid. Not every case involves every stage, and the exact path depends on your circumstances.

Do I have to go through every stage in order?

Most claims follow this order, but not every stage applies to every case — some claims settle at Early Conciliation and never reach a hearing, and a grievance isn't always necessary before a claim. Treat this as the map of what can happen, not a checklist every case must complete in full.

Where should I start if this has just happened to me?

Start with Stage 1. The most important thing in the first few days is building your own accurate, dated record of what happened — everything later in the process, including your tribunal deadline, depends on getting that foundation right.

Stage Guides

Tribunal Process Made Simple

The whole journey, broken into 13 stages you can actually follow — one at a time.

Information and strategy, not legal advice

Think of this page as satellite navigation for your case. The Complete Process & Time Limits Guide gives you the full route and every deadline. This page gives you each turn, one at a time — what's happening at that stage, and what to do right now. Our templates and tools then help you actually complete each step.

The 13 Stages

Click any stage below for its full explanation, what to expect, what to do, and the mistakes to avoid. Stages we haven't published a dedicated guide for yet are marked "Guide coming soon" — the Complete Process & Time Limits Guide already covers all 13 in full if you don't want to wait.

The Employment Problem Happens

Dismissal, discrimination, victimisation, unpaid wages, or whistleblowing detriment — and what to do in the first few days.

Consider a Grievance

Whether to raise concerns formally, and why timing and tone matter. Guide coming soon

Contact ACAS for Early Conciliation

The mandatory step before most tribunal claims — and how it affects your deadline. Guide coming soon

The Early Conciliation Period

What ACAS actually does, and what a realistic outcome looks like. Guide coming soon

Filing Your ET1

Starting your claim — and what separates a strong ET1 from a weak one. Guide coming soon

The ET3 Response

What your employer files, and what it tells you about their case. Guide coming soon

Case Management

The tribunal sets your timetable — deadlines you cannot afford to miss. Guide coming soon

Disclosure & Evidence

Exchanging documents with your employer — including ones that don't help their case. Guide coming soon

Witness Statements

Preparing and exchanging the evidence the tribunal will actually read closely. Guide coming soon

Schedule of Loss

Calculating exactly what you're claiming, head by head. Guide coming soon

The Final Hearing

What actually happens in the room (or on the video call) on the day. Guide coming soon

If Either Side Appeals

The strict 42-day deadline, and what an appeal can and can't do. Guide coming soon

Enforcement — If Your Employer Doesn't Pay

Winning is not the same as getting paid — the free enforcement routes available. Guide coming soon

Want the Whole Route at Once?

Every stage above, plus current time limits, ACAS's new 12-week Early Conciliation window, Vento bands, tax treatment of settlements, an evidence checklist, common mistakes, and a fillable case tracker, is already in our Complete Process & Time Limits Guide.

You don't need to understand the whole journey today. You just need to know what this stage means and what to do next — that's exactly what each page above is for.

Not sure where you are in the process? Start with our Start Here page, or browse all articles.