Resolving Tribunals Without a Hearing
- Duration
- 10 minutes
- Format
- Video
Written by Julia Gidney · former leading employment lawyer.
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What This Video Guidance Covers
Not every claim needs to go all the way to a hearing. Understand settlement, ACAS conciliation, and how to weigh up your options before deciding whether to proceed.
Content includes:
- 1 Why resolution is worth exploring
- 2 Acas conciliation
- 3 Judicial Assessment
- 4 Judicial Mediation
- 5 The Dispute Resolution Appointment (DRA)
- 6 When each route comes into play during the Tribunal process
- 7 'Confidentiality' and dispute resolution
- 8 What 'without prejudice' means in the process
- 9 The ways in which resolution becomes legally binding
Good to Know
Who is this video for?
Anyone with an Employment Tribunal claim in England & Wales, at any stage: whether you're still in Acas early conciliation, have just lodged your claim or are well into proceedings and wondering whether there's a way to resolve things without a full hearing.
What's included?
A 10-minute video explaining the four Tribunal-linked routes to resolving a claim without a final hearing: Acas conciliation, Judicial Assessment, Judicial Mediation and the Dispute Resolution Appointment (DRA). It covers why the Tribunal encourages early resolution, how each route works in practice, what “confidential” and “without prejudice” mean and why they matter, and the ways a settlement is made legally binding.
Will I be pushed into settling?
No. Three of the four routes are entirely voluntary and you can withdraw at any time. The only one the Tribunal can direct you to attend is the DRA, which is reserved for the longest and most complex cases — and even then, nobody can be forced into an agreement.
If it doesn't settle, will it harm my case?
Everything said in these processes stays confidential, the Judge involved won't hear your case at the final hearing and neither side can refer to those discussions later. The video explains exactly how that protection works, and its one exception.
Does this video cover how to negotiate or what my claim is worth?
No. It explains the processes and the protections around them, and where a Judge may give a view on likely compensation, but it isn't a guide to valuing your claim or to negotiation tactics.
Is it up to date?
Employment law, the Acas Code and Tribunal rules change regularly. We monitor these changes closely and update our videos when they happen. If we update this video, the new version appears in your personal video dashboard automatically, at no extra cost.
How long will I have access?
Employment Tribunal cases can take a long time to reach a hearing, so your video stays available to you for 24 months. If you need longer, just email us at info@wdidi.org and we'll extend it for you. We want you to have our guidance for as long as you need it.
Is this legal advice?
No. None of our guidance is legal advice. If you need advice on your own case, please contact a solicitor or other qualified representative. The Law Society's Find a Solicitor service is a good place to start — or your local Citizens Advice if cost is a concern.
Anything else?
More questions? Our full FAQ is here.
