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Sector Report

Public Sector Tribunal Data Analysis

Employment Tribunal decisions and outcome patterns in the Public Sector sector from the last 12 months.

390Cases Analysed (Last 12 Months)

Final Public Sector decisions with at least one determined claim.

22%Success Factor

Proportion of cases won or split/upheld in our database.

78%Dismissal Rate

Cases lost or struck out due to procedural/jurisdictional issues.

↑ Strongest IndicatorRedundancy Pay (57% Success)
↓ Weakest IndicatorWhistleblowing (3% Success)

Search by Claim Type

Unfair DismissalConstructive DismissalDiscriminationRedundancy PayUnpaid WagesWhistleblowingBreach of ContractHarassment

Showing 39 cases from the last 2 months.

Employers in recent Public Sector decisions

Browse the latest published decisions for employers represented in this sector sample.

Tamworth Borough CouncilAlexander Mann Solutions Ltd and othersBirmingham City CouncilWest Berkshire District CouncilSecretary of State for JusticeThe Chief Constable of South Wales PoliceSecretary of State for Business and TradeGlasgow City CouncilThe Secretary of State for JusticeLondon Borough of NewhamBuckinghamshire CouncilThe Commissioners For HM’s Revenue and Customs
20 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination and Whistleblowing

All complaints were found not well-founded and dismissed.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Direct race discrimination
  • victimisation
  • protected disclosure detriment

Reference: 6021283/2024

17 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination, Unpaid Wages and Breach of Contract

All claims were dismissed because the claimant was not an employee or worker for the purposes of the relevant protective legislation, the reasonable adjustments claim was out of time, and the wage claim failed on the facts as she was paid the agreed rate.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Employment status (employee/worker/contract worker)
  • time limits for discrimination claims under s.123 Equality Act 2010
  • whether failure to make reasonable adjustments is a continuing act
  • validity of unauthorised deductions claim where agreed rate was paid

Reference: 6024279/2025

7 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Other

The claimants failed to show their work as Business Advisers was like work to that of Account Managers – the roles were materially different in content, responsibility and time allocation.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Equal pay – like work comparison under Equality Act 2010 sections 64(1)(a) and 65(1)(a)
  • definition of 'work' in equal pay cases
  • significance of differences in content and time spent
  • limitation periods under section 132
  • TUPE-transfer employment continuity

Reference: 1304212/2024

5 Aug 2026
Mixed outcome

Discrimination and Harassment

The claimant succeeded on limited allegations of harassment and victimisation but failed on the majority of her race discrimination claims.

Legal Issues (8)
  • Race discrimination
  • harassment related to race
  • victimisation
  • protected acts
  • vicarious liability
  • time limits for amendments
  • extension of time
  • grievance process fairness

Reference: 6015012/2024

4 Aug 2026
Claim struck out

Discrimination

The Claimant failed to prove that her impairments of ILO, DBPD, asthma, and GORD had a substantial and long-term adverse effect on normal day-to-day activities.

Legal Issues (6)
  • Definition of disability under s.6 Equality Act 2010
  • substantial adverse effect
  • long-term effect
  • credibility of claimant's evidence
  • weight of medical records
  • burden of proof

Reference: 6029870/2025

4 Aug 2026
Claim struck out

Discrimination

The first claimant's indirect discrimination claim was struck out as having no reasonable prospects of success, and her application to add a victimisation claim was refused.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Application to amend under Rule 30 and Selkent principles
  • definition of protected act under s.27 Equality Act 2010
  • strike out for no reasonable prospects
  • balance of hardship and prejudice

Reference: 3300929/2024

30 Jul 2026
Mixed outcome

Discrimination

The claimant won on 5 specific victimisation claims but lost on 7 others, resulting in a split verdict on liability with remedy yet to be determined.

Legal Issues (2)
  • Victimisation under the Equality Act 2010
  • whether the respondent subjected the claimant to detrimental treatment because of a protected act (the grievance)

Reference: 1600390/2023

30 Jul 2026
Dismissed on jurisdiction

Unfair Dismissal and Other

All claims were dismissed because the claimant was not an employee within the meaning of s.230 ERA 1996.

Legal Issues (2)
  • Whether the claimant was an employee under s.230 ERA 1996
  • jurisdiction to hear employment claims

Reference: 6028211/2025

30 Jul 2026
Dismissed on jurisdiction

Unfair Dismissal and Other

The claimant was not an employee within the meaning of s.230 ERA 1996, so all claims failed and were dismissed.

Legal Issues (2)
  • Whether the claimant was an employee under s.230 Employment Rights Act 1996
  • jurisdiction to hear claims

Reference: 6028208/2025

30 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal and Discrimination

The tribunal dismissed all claims because the dismissal was fair (within the range of reasonable responses) and there was no evidence that the claimant's disability, race, or protected acts influenced the decision to dismiss or any other treatment.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Unfair dismissal – range of reasonable responses
  • misconduct dismissal
  • Burchell test. Disability discrimination – section 15 EqA (unfavourable treatment arising from disability). Race discrimination – direct discrimination and comparators. Victimisation – protected acts (previous tribunal claim and complaint about colleague). Procedural fairness of investigation and appeal

Reference: 8000208/2025

27 Jul 2026
Mixed outcome

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination and Harassment

The claimant succeeded only on her harassment related to sex claim (a comment in February 2018), while all other claims were dismissed.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Harassment related to sex under the Equality Act 2010
  • ordinary unfair dismissal
  • direct sex discrimination
  • discrimination arising from disability
  • victimisation. The tribunal found only the harassment claim well-founded

Reference: 2302738/2024

27 Jul 2026
Claim struck out

Unfair Dismissal

The claim was struck out because there was no reasonable prospect of success; the dismissal was within the range of reasonable responses given the repeated security breaches and a live final written warning.

Legal Issues (1)
  • Application of strike-out test under Rule 38(1)(a) – no reasonable prospect of success. The tribunal considered the Burchell test (genuine belief, reasonable grounds, reasonable investigation) and the range of reasonable responses. The claimant's case was not reasonably arguable given the seriousness of the misconduct and the existing final written warning

Reference: 6003348/2024

23 Jul 2026
Outcome unclear

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination and Harassment

The claimant's applications to strike out the respondent's response and to amend the claim were both refused. The underlying discrimination claims remain pending, and the unfair dismissal claim was previously withdrawn.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Strike out application based on late ET3 and unreasonable conduct
  • amendment application to add loss of chance/dismissal as discrimination
  • time limits
  • discretion
  • balance of hardship

Reference: 3313566/2023

23 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination

The claims of disability discrimination were not well-founded and were dismissed.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Disability discrimination claims under sections 13
  • 15
  • 20-21 Equality Act 2010

Reference: 6004215/2025

23 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination

The claimant failed to prove on the balance of probabilities that she had dyslexia amounting to a mental impairment, or that any such impairment had a substantial adverse effect on her day-to-day activities during the relevant period.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Disability definition under s.6 Equality Act 2010
  • requirement for expert evidence where existence of impairment disputed
  • weight to be given to screening tools vs diagnosis
  • contemporaneous evidence of substantial adverse effect

Reference: 6020496/2025

22 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination

Both claims of disability discrimination were found unfounded and dismissed.

Legal Issues (2)
  • Discrimination arising from disability (s.15 EqA)
  • failure to make reasonable adjustments (ss.20-21 EqA)

Reference: 6009979/2025

22 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal

The claimant lost because the tribunal found the employer had a reasonable belief in misconduct, conducted a reasonable investigation despite the claimant's non‑engagement, and dismissal fell within the range of reasonable responses.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Unfair dismissal: reason for dismissal (conduct)
  • reasonable belief in misconduct (Burchell test)
  • adequacy of investigation (Sainsbury's v Hitt)
  • range of reasonable responses
  • significance of employee's refusal to comply with a reasonable management instruction and failure to engage in disciplinary process

Reference: 2600942/2025

22 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination and Unpaid Wages

All claims were dismissed: disability discrimination struck out for failure to prove disability, unfair dismissal dismissed as procedurally fair and within range of reasonable responses, and unpaid holiday pay claim dismissed because the claimant had in fact been overpaid.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Definition of disability (substantial adverse effect, long-term)
  • unfair dismissal – range of reasonable responses
  • adequacy of investigation
  • unlawful deduction from wages – set-off for overpayment of wages

Reference: 2412216/2023

20 Jul 2026
Mixed outcome

Discrimination

The claimant succeeded on two reasonable adjustment claims but lost on one, and withdrew others, resulting in a split outcome.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Disability discrimination
  • reasonable adjustments
  • time limits
  • withdrawal of claims

Reference: 1805625/2023

20 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination and Whistleblowing

All claims were dismissed because the Tribunal found that the respondent's actions were not discriminatory, the alleged provision, criterion or practice did not exist, the claimant was not subjected to a detriment for a protected act, and the email relied upon as a protected disclosure was not in the public interest, and the reason for dismissal was redundancy.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Whether the claimant was subjected to direct disability discrimination
  • whether the respondent failed to make reasonable adjustments
  • whether the claimant was victimised for raising a grievance
  • whether the claimant was automatically unfairly dismissed for making a protected disclosure

Reference: 3300319/2024

20 Jul 2026
Claim struck out

Unfair Dismissal, Constructive Dismissal, Discrimination and Harassment

The three oldest race harassment claims were struck out because they are hopelessly out of time and have no reasonable prospects of success.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Time limits under section 123 Equality Act 2010
  • strike out under Rule 38 for no reasonable prospects
  • conduct extending over a period
  • just and equitable extension
  • proportionality of striking out old claims

Reference: 6002879/2025

17 Jul 2026
Mixed outcome

Unfair Dismissal

The claimant won on ordinary unfair dismissal due to unreasonable investigation and procedural flaws, but lost on automatic unfair dismissal because the alleged disclosures were not protected and were not the reason for dismissal.

Legal Issues (7)
  • Protected disclosures (whistleblowing)
  • automatic unfair dismissal
  • ordinary unfair dismissal
  • reasonableness of investigation
  • procedural fairness
  • definition of UPSI
  • employer's band of reasonable responses

Reference: 2301825/2024

17 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal

The claimant's claims of automatically unfair dismissal and ordinary unfair dismissal were not well-founded and were dismissed.

Legal Issues (1)
  • Whether the dismissals were automatically unfair (e.g., for a prescribed reason) and whether they were ordinary unfair dismissal under section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996

Reference: 2303781/2024

16 Jul 2026
Claim struck out

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination and Breach of Contract

The claims were struck out at a preliminary hearing.

Legal Issues (1)
  • Strike out of claims at preliminary hearing

Reference: 2301026/2025

15 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal, Constructive Dismissal, Discrimination and Harassment

All claims were either struck out or dismissed as not well founded.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Strike out of unfair dismissal claim
  • dismissal of direct race discrimination
  • harassment related to race
  • constructive dismissal claims on merits

Reference: 2500268/2024

15 Jul 2026
Dismissed on jurisdiction

Unpaid Wages and Breach of Contract

The tribunal lacked jurisdiction because the relationship between a foster carer and a local authority is not contractual, as established by binding Court of Appeal authority in W v Essex County Council.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Whether a foster carer had a contractual relationship with a local authority
  • binding effect of Court of Appeal decision in W v Essex County Council
  • jurisdiction of the employment tribunal over claims by foster carers

Reference: 6022668/2024

15 Jul 2026
Claim struck out

Discrimination

The claims were struck out because the claimant failed to comply with case management orders and conducted proceedings unreasonably, and separately because the claims were presented well outside the primary limitation period with no basis for an extension.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Strike out under Rule 38(1)(b) and (c) of the Employment Tribunal Procedure Rules 2024
  • jurisdiction and time bar under the Equality Act 2010
  • application to amend under Selkent principles

Reference: 8001853/2025

13 Jul 2026
Claim struck out

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination, Redundancy Pay, Unpaid Wages and Breach of Contract

The claimant's claims were dismissed or struck out because they were out of time or because the claimant lacked the required two years' continuous service.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Time limits
  • lack of two years' continuous service for unfair dismissal and redundancy claims
  • jurisdiction
  • costs application under Rule 74

Reference: 6012287/2025

10 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal and Constructive Dismissal

The claimant's claim of constructive unfair dismissal failed and was dismissed.

Legal Issues (1)
  • Constructive unfair dismissal – whether the claimant was entitled to resign in response to a fundamental breach of contract by the employer

Reference: 6009737/2025

9 Jul 2026
Mixed outcome

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination, Whistleblowing, Breach of Contract and Harassment

Most claims struck out for unreasonable conduct and non-compliance; automatic unfair dismissal claim allowed to proceed.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Strike out under Rule 38 of the Employment Tribunal Procedure Rules for unreasonable/vexatious conduct
  • non-compliance with orders
  • no fair trial possible
  • proportionality
  • litigant in person responsibilities

Reference: 6023572/2024

8 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination

Claimant's direct sex discrimination claim was dismissed because the Tribunal found the reason for non-appointment was his mother's involvement in the recruitment process, not his gender.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Direct sex discrimination in recruitment
  • burden of proof
  • whether non-appointment was due to gender or mother's involvement

Reference: 1600314/2025

8 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination, Harassment and Other

The claimant withdrew claims for age discrimination and unfair dismissal, the Tribunal had no jurisdiction over the victimisation claim, and the amendment to add a part-time worker claim was refused, resulting in all claims being dismissed.

Legal Issues (6)
  • Jurisdiction of Employment Tribunal over claims by serving armed forces reservists
  • exclusion of unfair dismissal claims under s.230 ERA 1996
  • exclusion of age discrimination claims under Schedule 9 EqA 2010
  • requirement for prior service complaint under s.121 EqA
  • time bar
  • application to amend to add Part-time Worker Regulations claim

Reference: 8001973/2025

6 Jul 2026
Claim struck out

Unfair Dismissal

The claim was struck out because it was presented outside the statutory time limit, and the Tribunal found it was reasonably practicable for the Claimant to have brought the proceedings in time.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Statutory time limit for presenting an unfair dismissal claim (Section 111 Employment Rights Act 1996)
  • whether it was reasonably practicable for the claim to be presented in time
  • whether the further period was reasonable

Reference: 6007216/2026

6 Jul 2026
Claim struck out

Unfair Dismissal and Redundancy Pay

Both claims were struck out because the claimant had less than two years' service and therefore lacked the statutory right to bring them.

Legal Issues (1)
  • Jurisdiction – minimum service requirement under sections 108 and 155 of the Employment Rights Act 1996

Reference: 6045701/2025

6 Jul 2026
Claim struck out

Other

The claim was struck out because the claimant did not comply with Tribunal orders and failed to respond to a strike out warning, making a fair trial impossible.

Legal Issues (2)
  • Strike out under Rule 38 of the Employment Tribunal Procedure Rules 2024 for non-compliance with orders and failure to pursue the claim
  • overriding objective considered

Reference: 2302858/2023

3 Jul 2026
Mixed outcome

Unfair Dismissal and Discrimination

The claimant succeeded on claims of failure to make reasonable adjustments (not allowing him to continue without attending violent incidents), discrimination arising from disability, and unfair dismissal, but lost on other reasonable adjustment claims.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Time limits under s.123 Equality Act 2010
  • failure to make reasonable adjustments
  • discrimination arising from disability
  • unfair dismissal for capability
  • reasonableness of dismissal and consideration of alternatives

Reference: 6008906/2025

2 Jul 2026
Claimant won£29,584.67 awarded

Discrimination

The respondent was ordered to pay compensation after the claimant's pregnancy and maternity discrimination claims were successful.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Pregnancy and maternity discrimination
  • injury to feelings
  • loss of earnings
  • interest on awards

Reference: 2301815/2024

2 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination

Both complaints were dismissed as not well-founded.

Legal Issues (2)
  • Disability discrimination under section 15 Equality Act 2010
  • failure to make reasonable adjustments under sections 20 and 21 Equality Act 2010

Reference: 2301022/2022

2 Jul 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination, Unpaid Wages, Harassment and Other

All claims were dismissed or withdrawn; the Claimant was found not to be disabled and discrimination claims failed on the facts, with other claims also dismissed.

Legal Issues (9)
  • Disability definition under the Equality Act 2010
  • substantial and long-term adverse effect
  • direct age discrimination
  • harassment related to age
  • sex and disability
  • victimisation
  • reasonable adjustments
  • health and safety detriment
  • unlawful deduction from wages

Reference: 2601536/2024

Data sources

Decisions are sourced from official GOV.UK Employment Tribunal publications.

Important: Summaries and statistics are automated. Always verify against the original decision documents.