The use of the Pre-claim Conciliation Service (PCC) from Acas has proved beneficial to both employers and employees in settling workplace disputes, according to independent studies commissioned by Acas.

A recent evaluation of PCC found that:

• nearly nine out of ten employers who used PCC said that they would use it again,
• two thirds of employees would advise a friend or relative to use PCC if they were involved in a similar dispute,
• eight out of ten users said that Acas was important in helping to resolve their dispute, and
• service users reported that PCC was cheaper, easier or more convenient, less traumatic or stressful and resolved their issue more quickly than submitting an employment tribunal claim.

“In 2012/13 our voluntary Pre-claim conciliation – a free Acas service – helped resolve over 22,000 workplace disputes, saving employers and employees the time, stress and expense of preparing for and attending a tribunal,” explained Acas Chief Executive Anne Sharp.

“We know from independent research into PCC that when staff, management time and legal costs are factored in employers save on average £2,700 compared to resolving a dispute once an employment tribunal claim has been made,” she added.

As a result of the success of the PCC service, Acas has been asked by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to provide a new service from next year, known as Early Conciliation. This will require anybody who wants to lodge an employment tribunal claim to notify Acas first. They will then have an additional month to attempt to resolve the dispute.

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