Well, not exactly. Although if you lodged an Employment Tribunal claim between July 2013 and July 2017 and did not qualify for remission then you are entitled to apply for a refund.
It has been estimated that 100,000 claims could be eligible for reimbursement and that up to £27m could be repaid.
The scheme was introduced after a decision was made by the Supreme Court which deemed employment tribunal fees unlawful. Fees were found to be obstructing justice, indirectly discriminatory and incompatible with aspects of EU Law.
In order to claim a refund applicant can either fill out a form online or submit a hard copy form through the post. Those who are successful will have the fees refunded directly to their bank account, with 0.5 per cent interest added.
It is unclear whether fees will be reintroduced in some capacity. The Supreme Court judgment said fees could, in principle, be justified as a means of securing access to justice.
It would seem that it is likely fees will be reintroduced at some stage. This position was confirmed by the Lord Chancellor David Lidington during a justice select committee meeting.
If you paid Employment Tribunal fees between July 2013 and July 2017 you may be entitled to a refund. You can claim online at the following address;
https://www.gov.uk/employment-tribunals/refund-tribunal-fees
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