Construction industry frightened by employment tribunals

Three-quarters of manufacturing and construction employers worry about the financial implications of being taken to an employment tribunal.

And more than six in 10 are concerned that the reputation of their business could be tarnished, research carried out for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has revealed today (Tuesday).

In addition, 73% of managers in this sector admit they are worried about the effect a tribunal would have on their own stress levels with 36% citing this as a major headache.

Figures from the Employment Tribunal Service show that last year tribunals dealt with 98,000 claims based on work disputes, ranging from problems over pay and conditions, to racial and sexual harassment.

But in more than a third of those cases the individual and the manager had not discussed the problem at all before approaching an employment tribunal.

Five hundred small and medium sized UK businesses were surveyed with the results adding weight to the need for a new employment law which comes into force.

From October all employers must have minimum dismissal, disciplinary and grievance procedures in place.