Conciliation is understandably often a daunting process for most people. It can be very emotional for both employers and employees.
We're currently making changes to the conciliation process so that it's simple for everyone involved. We're also making it easier for people to find the emotional support they may need. This is all from listening to people using our service.
What conciliation is
Conciliation is a process through which Acas helps an employer and employee sort out a work-related dispute. It's free, we don't take sides, and it saves everyone time and money. The employee or worker can choose to continue to an employment tribunal if early conciliation does not work. Conciliation is available right up to the day of an employment tribunal hearing.
When the improvements will take place
The improvements start off in July – people who represent large groups of employees or workers will be able to give more information about their case online. For these cases, they will also have the option to allow Acas to contact the employer first.
These changes will speed up the conciliation process, making it less stressful for the people involved. And we know that the quicker Acas starts conciliation, the greater the likelihood of a solution.
Later in 2022 we're planning to improve the process for the thousands of individual employees and workers who come to Acas for conciliation every year. As we've heard how important emotional support is, we have been working with our partners in the NHS and national charities to make sure people know where to go to access any help they may need.
Disputes at work are never easy, but we hope we can make it more straightforward for people to find a solution they are happy with through conciliation.
Read about getting emotional supporting during a dispute at work