Industrial tribunals in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, most workplace claims go to an industrial tribunal, not the employment tribunals used in England, Scotland and Wales. You must contact the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) for early conciliation first, and most claims have to be made within three months of the incident. There is no fee to make a claim.

Who hears what

Industrial tribunals hear most workplace disputes, including unfair dismissal and discrimination claims. The Fair Employment Tribunal hears cases of unlawful political or religious discrimination. Both are run through the Office of Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal (OITFET), and you use the same early conciliation route for either.

The tribunal system is separate from the one in Great Britain because employment law is devolved to Northern Ireland. A claim by a council worker in Lisburn is decided under Northern Ireland law, even where the rule looks the same as the English one. How employment law in Northern Ireland differs covers the gaps.

Step one: early conciliation

Since 27 January 2020 you have had to notify the LRA before lodging a claim, unless an exemption applies. Conciliation is voluntary, but you cannot go to tribunal without first being offered it. You can notify the LRA online, by phone, through a legal or trade union representative, or by post. A conciliation officer usually contacts you within five working days.

Notifying the LRA stops the clock for up to a month, and a conciliation officer can extend that by 14 days if there is a reasonable prospect of agreement and both sides consent. If you settle, the agreement is legally binding. If not, the LRA issues an early conciliation certificate, and you need its number on the claim form. Some claims are exempt, for example an application for interim relief in an unfair dismissal case. Details of the service are in the LRA guide.

Time limits

nidirect says most claims must be made within three months of the incident, though the limit varies by type of claim and is affected by early conciliation. Dismissal claims are three months from the date you were dismissed. nidirect adds that tribunals will only extend the limit in exceptional circumstances, so do not plan around an extension.

This differs from Great Britain. From 1 October 2026 the employment tribunal time limit there rose from three to six months. The nidirect page for Northern Ireland still gives three months for most claims, so do not rely on the English figure if you work here. If you are unsure which limit applies to your claim, ring the LRA’s Workplace Information Service on 03300 555 300 before the three months run out. Employment tribunal time limits explains the Great Britain rules.

Unfair dismissal also has a service requirement. In Northern Ireland you will normally need one year’s service to claim, with no minimum if the reason for the dismissal is automatically unfair. In Great Britain the figure is two years until the change planned for January 2027.

Making the claim

You can get the claim form from a Jobs and Benefits office, Advice NI or OITFET, or complete it online. OITFET sends a copy to your employer, who has 28 days to respond. The tribunal then checks whether it can hear the claim and may hold a preliminary hearing.

If a claim looks unlikely to succeed, you may be ordered to pay a deposit of up to £500. It is not refunded if you lose. You can usually withdraw before the hearing, and conciliation or arbitration remain options right up to that point.

Fees and costs

There is no charge for making a claim. Costs only arise if you pay a representative such as a solicitor. Tribunals do not usually order either side to pay the other’s costs unless someone has behaved unreasonably.

The hearing

Cases are usually heard by a panel of three: a legally qualified chairperson and two lay members, one with an employer background and one with an employee background. Witnesses may give evidence, and the tribunal can order them to attend. You do not have to be there in person, but you must tell the tribunal if you want the case heard in your absence. Documents have to reach the other side at least seven days before the hearing.

Public sector staff often find that the employer’s internal procedure has ended before the tribunal starts. It helps to have gone through a grievance properly, and a union representative can attend with you.

Outcomes and appeals

If you win, the tribunal can order compensation. It is unlimited for discrimination or for dismissal on health and safety grounds. Unfair dismissal awards have a basic award based on age and length of service, plus a compensatory award with a maximum. Compensation replaces lost earnings. It does not cover hurt feelings, except in discrimination cases, and you must try to reduce your loss. If you claimed New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance, recoupment may apply.

If you lose, you can ask for a review on limited grounds, or appeal to the High Court on a point of law only.

This is general information, not legal advice. For your own case, speak to your union, Advice NI, the LRA helpline or a solicitor before the deadline passes.