This guide is maintained as a current resource for September 2026 and covers only the laws of England and Wales. Information is for general guidance, not legal advice. Consult a qualified solicitor for advice specific to your situation.
Need to find a past tribunal judgment? Learn how to access Employment Tribunal decisions online, understand privacy rules, and see how these records can be used in your own legal research.
Employment Tribunal decisions are legally significant outcomes of claims brought by employees, workers or employers. In England and Wales, tribunal judgments and written reasons are generally publicly accessible. Public access supports transparency, accountability and the principle of open justice, allowing anyone - including solicitors, students, researchers and members of the public - to read and analyse tribunal decisions. This article explains how and why tribunal decisions are made public, where to find them, what information they contain, limitations on publicity and practical considerations for parties involved in tribunal proceedings.
Why Employment Tribunal Decisions Are Public
Employment Tribunals are part of the justice system, and the principle of open justice requires that decisions be accessible to the public. Publication enables scrutiny of how the law is applied in different cases and promotes consistency and fairness in decision‑making. Decisions can also have educational and research value, offering insight into employment law issues such as unfair dismissal, discrimination, wages and statutory rights. A Court of Appeal decision has confirmed that, except in very limited circumstances such as national security, tribunals must publish judgments on the public register and cannot withhold them simply because a party objects. Restricting access is possible only in specific scenarios under strict legal criteria.
What Decisions Are Published
The term “Employment Tribunal decisions” encompasses:
- Judgments: The formal decision on liability and remedies.
- Written reasons: Explanations of how the tribunal applied legal principles to the facts to reach its decision.
Both judgments and written reasons are generally published in full on the government's Employment Tribunal decisions register soon after copies are sent to the claimant and respondent.
Exceptions and Redaction
There are very limited exceptions to publication:
- National security cases: Decisions affecting national security may be withheld from publication.
- Anonymity or restricted reporting orders: Tribunals may order certain details to be anonymised or restricted to protect the privacy or human rights of parties or witnesses, but this does not amount to removal from the register and is granted only in specific legal circumstances.
These exceptions are narrow, and the default position remains publication in full.
How to Access Employment Tribunal Decisions
Online Public Register
The central point of access is the online Employment Tribunal decisions register on GOV.UK. Decisions from February 2017 onwards for England and Wales are searchable by criteria such as:
- Case name
- Decision date
- Jurisdiction category (for example, unfair dismissal, discrimination grounds, wages and statutory rights)
The public register allows free browsing and filtering of thousands of judgments and written reasons. It supports searches by word, subject matter or jurisdiction code.
Filter and Search Functions
The online database includes filters for jurisdiction codes, decision dates and country (including England and Wales). Users can also subscribe to email alerts or feeds to track new decisions.
Historical Decisions
Judgments issued before February 2017 are not generally available on the online register. To access older decisions, you may need to contact tribunal offices directly or visit archived records held at specified court locations. Some legal information institutes and academic databases also maintain collections of historic decisions.
What the Published Decisions Contain
Publicly accessible tribunal decisions usually include:
- Case reference number
- Parties' names
- Decision date
- Factual background of the case
- Legal issues considered
- Findings on liability and remedies
- Written reasons explaining the tribunal's reasoning
Judgments for each case are published in full, unless restricted by an order. The written reasons illuminate how statutory provisions and established legal principles were applied to specific facts.
Practical Use of Public Tribunal Decisions
Legal Research and Precedent
Although Employment Tribunal decisions are not binding precedent in the same way as higher court judgments, published decisions are widely used by solicitors for research, argument development and understanding how tribunals address certain issues.
Transparency and Accountability
Publication ensures that tribunal processes and decisions are open to scrutiny. Employers, advisers and prospective litigants can access how similar claims have been decided, which supports informed decision‑making and dispute resolution.
Reputational Considerations
Parties should be aware that publication can create reputational exposure, especially if detailed written reasons include criticism of conduct or workplace practices. This is a factor often discussed in legal commentaries and professional guidance on tribunal strategy.
Limitation and Privacy Considerations
Anonymity and Redaction Orders
Tribunals may grant anonymity orders or redactions under rules such as Rule 50 of the Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure to protect identities or sensitive information. This might limit some details in published documents, but judgments generally remain on the public register.
Withdrawal and Settlements
If a claim is settled or withdrawn, there may not be a published judgment if no final tribunal determination is made. Publication typically occurs only after a substantive decision. This means not all disputes result in public records.
Common Questions About Public Access
Are All Documents Filed in a Tribunal Case Public?
No. Only judgments and written reasons are generally published. Initial claim forms (ET1) and many internal documents remain confidential unless produced at a public hearing and expressly published. Tribunal hearings in public also allow attendance by members of the public, but administrative or case management hearings may be held in private.
Can Published Decisions Be Removed?
Once a judgment is on the register, it cannot be removed simply at a party's request. Published judgments remain accessible online indefinitely, subject only to narrow legal grounds for restriction or redaction.
How Quickly Are Decisions Published?
Judgments are normally uploaded shortly after they are sent to the parties. This may take a short period after the tribunal hearing or the issue of a reserved written judgment.
Key Takeaways
Employment Tribunal decisions in England and Wales are generally publicly accessible on the GOV.UK Employment Tribunal decisions register, supporting transparency and open justice. Judgments and written reasons are published in full shortly after they are issued, with limited exceptions for matters such as national security or restricted reporting orders. The public register allows searchable access by case name, date and jurisdiction code. Published decisions help solicitors, students and the public understand how tribunal law is applied, although privacy protections and confidentiality rules limit the publication of internal case documents. Decisions remain accessible indefinitely, and once a judgment is published it cannot be removed simply at a party's request.
