Unfair dismissal claims face five-year delay as tribunal backlog grows

Unfair dismissal claims face five-year delay as tribunal backlog growsJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleDominic CascianiHome and legal correspondentBBCCatriona Ball, whose late husband's case will not be heard until 2029, says she did not realise there would be such long delaysUnprecedented employment tribunal service delays in England and Wales mean people bringing unfair dismissal claims are waiting up to five years for their case to be heard.Expert lawyers say there must now be radical change if there is to be justice for both claimants and the companies involved.One of those affected is Catriona Ball, whose husband Lewis died in 2024, weeks after he quit a job he believed had been making him ill.After his death, she lodged a claim at the Employment Tribunal for constructive unfair dismissal and an alleged failure to make reasonable adjustments for disability. His former employer is contesting the claim.This story is not about what went on between him and the company and who's right or wrong - but how long it will take to resolve the case.Catriona filed the claim in February 2025, but the case will not come before a judge for a full hearing and judgment until 2029.Catriona BallLewis had quit his job just weeks before his deathFor Catriona, the daily roller coaster of coping with the death of her husband has been worsened by the legal limbo she now finds herself in.Lewis died on 2 November 2024 aged 43.It began as just a normal Saturday at Aylestone St James, Lewis's childhood rugby club, half an hour from where they lived with their two children near Kettering - and where he still played."Part-way through the game, he came into the clubhouse, saying he had chest pains," says Catriona."He then went off to try and find aspirins at the far end of the clubhouse - and collapsed."Everything was done to try to save Lewis - including using a defibrillator he had helped the club to secure.There was nothing anyone, including the...