Acas Early Conciliation


From 6 May 2014, the first step in any tribunal claim has been to contact Acas to consider conciliation (that is a negotiated settlement) of your claim. 


You must complete an Early Conciliation (EC) notification form available from the Acas website and send it to Acas who will contact you and your employer to find out whether the dispute can be settled without issuing a tribunal claim. The process is free of charge. You must send the EC form to Acas within three months of the date your unpaid sick pay was due. Otherwise your claim will be out of time and the tribunal is very unlikely to consider it. 


Assuming your employer does not to agree your claim following EC, Acas will issue an EC Certificate to show that conciliation has not been possible in your case. Without the reference number on this certificate you will not be allowed to bring your tribunal claim. Acas has a Helpline on 0300 123 1100.