Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what progress she has made in identifying funding to extend the time limits for Equality Act claims from three to six months; and if he will make a statement.

The Government continues to look closely at extending the time limit for bringing Equality Act 2010 based cases to employment tribunal.

This decision, however, must take account of wider impacts across the justice system. We recognise that the pandemic has put additional pressure on the entire courts and tribunal service, particularly the employment tribunal, and that restoring its existing levels of service needs to be the priority before additional loading is added.

While the time limit for bringing an Equality Act based claim to employment tribunal remains at three months, tribunals have the discretion to provide extensions where they consider it ‘just and equitable’ to do so.