ACAS is an independent public body that advises on workplace relations and helps resolve disputes without litigation. Its guidance is widely treated as the standard of reasonable practice in UK employment matters.
Early conciliation is mandatory
Before bringing most tribunal claims, a claimant must notify ACAS and go through early conciliation. This pauses the limitation clock and gives both sides a chance to settle with a conciliator's help. A settlement reached this way is recorded on a COT3 form, which is binding and does not require the independent legal advice that a settlement agreement does.
The Codes of Practice
The ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures carries particular weight. Tribunals must take it into account, and an unreasonable failure to follow it can increase compensation by up to twenty-five percent. Conversely an employee who unreasonably fails to follow it can see their award reduced.
- Free guidance and templates for employers on process and policy
- Conciliation for individual and collective disputes
- Codes of Practice that tribunals must consider
Why it matters when hiring internationally
For a company unfamiliar with UK practice, the Code is the clearest available statement of what a fair process looks like, and following it is the single most effective way to reduce exposure in a dismissal. The uplift for ignoring it is a real financial consequence, not a guideline.