Acas figures show that PCC service is being used as a route to avoid tribunals.

The number of employers using conciliation as a way to avoid tribunals has risen sharply in recent months, figures from Acas have revealed.

Monthly calls to the Acas helpline which have resulted in use of its pre-claim conciliation (PCC) service have almost doubled since September 2009. The free service aims to settle workplace issues that could escalate to an expensive tribunal.

By the end of February, 8,304 PCC referrals had been made from the Acas helpline since the service was launched to accompany changes to the Employment Act in April last year.

Currently, around 300 referrals are being received every week on average, and Acas expects this number to rise to approximately 400 during 2010. Acas estimates that more than 5,000 tribunal claims have been avoided through the service so far.

Commenting on the figures, Ed Sweeney, Acas Chair said: “This data indicates that workers and employers are increasingly taking steps to avoid employment tribunals. The current economic climate has created difficult workplace challenges for managers, HR professionals and employees. The earlier issues can be resolved, the more likely people will remain in productive employment in the workplace.

“The service is quick. Over half of all resolved cases are completed in around three weeks instead of the six to nine months that most tribunal claims take. We have a responsibility to support the economic recovery by resolving workplace disputes early on to avoid costly, stressful and time consuming employment tribunals.”

The PCC service was launched in April 2009 alongside the new Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures following the Government’s Dispute Resolution Review in 2007.