Employment Claims Act 2016 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Employment Claims
16. Other proceedings relating to claim
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2018.
A claim relating to a specified employment dispute cannot be lodged with a tribunal if —
claim
“claim” means a claim lodged with a tribunal, and includes a counterclaim lodged with a tribunal;
any proceedings relating to that claim are pending in, or have been heard and determined by, any other court or an Industrial Arbitration Court; or
a claim lodged under section 119 of the Employment Act 1968 in respect of that dispute is pending, or the Commissioner has inquired into and decided that dispute under section 115 of that Act.
Despite any other written law, where a claim relating to a specified employment dispute is lodged with a tribunal, no proceedings relating to that claim can be commenced in any other court or an Industrial Arbitration Court by either party against the other, unless the claim is withdrawn, discontinued or dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
specified employment dispute
“specified employment dispute” means a specified contractual dispute, a specified statutory dispute or a wrongful dismissal dispute;
Where an employee is dismissed, the employee cannot lodge with a tribunal a claim for any amount relating to a specified employment dispute concerning a matter specified in item 17 of the First Schedule, or item 13 or 15 of the Second Schedule, that arises from that dismissal, if —
employee
“employee” means an individual who has entered into and works under a contract of service with an employer, and includes —(a)any employee of the Government within a category, class or description of such employees prescribed to be employees for the purposes of this Act; and(b)for an employment dispute relating to the termination of a contract of service or any mediation request submitted or claim made after the end of a contract of service, the former employee who worked under that contract of service, even though the relationship between employee and employer has ended;
the employee —
has made representations in writing under section 35(3) of the Industrial Relations Act 1960 to the Minister mentioned in that provision; or
has made representations in writing under section 8(1) of the Retirement and Re‑employment Act 1993 to the Minister mentioned in that provision; and
either of the following applies:
the employee does not withdraw those representations;
the Minister concerned makes a decision on those representations.
Where an employee is dismissed, and the employee lodges with a tribunal a claim for any amount relating to a specified employment dispute concerning a matter specified in item 17 of the First Schedule, or item 13 or 15 of the Second Schedule, that arises from that dismissal —
tribunal
“tribunal” means a subordinate court called an Employment Claims Tribunal constituted under section 4 of the State Courts Act 1970;
the claim is deemed to be discontinued, if the employee —
makes representations in writing under section 35(3) of the Industrial Relations Act 1960 to the Minister mentioned in that provision; or
makes representations in writing under section 8(1) of the Retirement and Re‑employment Act 1993 to the Minister mentioned in that provision; and
the claim is deemed to be discontinued with effect from the date on which the employee makes those representations.
Where an employee is dismissed, the employee cannot lodge with a tribunal a claim relating to a wrongful dismissal dispute, if —
wrongful dismissal dispute
“wrongful dismissal dispute” means a dispute, relating to the dismissal of an employee, specified in the Third Schedule.
the employee has made representations in writing under section 35(3) of the Industrial Relations Act 1960 to the Minister mentioned in that provision; and
either of the following applies:
the employee does not withdraw those representations;
the Minister concerned makes a decision on those representations.
Where an employee is dismissed, and the employee lodges with a tribunal a claim relating to a wrongful dismissal dispute —
the claim is deemed to be discontinued, if the employee makes representations in writing under section 35(3) of the Industrial Relations Act 1960 to the Minister mentioned in that provision; and
the claim is deemed to be discontinued with effect from the date on which the employee makes those representations.
Where an employee has made representations in writing under section 8B(1) of the Retirement and Re‑employment Act 1993 to the Minister mentioned in that provision, the employee cannot lodge with a tribunal a claim for employment assistance payment, unless —
employment assistance payment
“employment assistance payment” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Retirement and Re‑employment Act 1993;
that Minister allows, under section 8B(7) of that Act, the employee to submit to the Commissioner a mediation request in respect of the specified employment dispute for which the employee’s claim for employment assistance payment will be lodged; and
a claim referral certificate is issued in respect of that dispute.
Where, after an employee has lodged with a tribunal a claim for employment assistance payment, the employee makes representations in writing under section 8B(1) of the Retirement and Re‑employment Act 1993 to the Minister mentioned in that provision —
the claim is stayed until that Minister decides whether to allow, under section 8B(7) of that Act, the employee to submit to the Commissioner a mediation request in respect of the specified employment dispute for which the employee’s claim for employment assistance payment has been lodged;
if that Minister decides not to allow the employee to submit to the Commissioner a mediation request in respect of the specified employment dispute for which the employee’s claim for employment assistance payment has been lodged, the claim is deemed to be discontinued with effect from the date of that Minister’s decision; and
if that Minister decides to allow the employee to submit to the Commissioner a mediation request in respect of the specified employment dispute for which the employee’s claim for employment assistance payment has been lodged, the employee may proceed with the claim.
Where an employee has lodged with a tribunal a claim for employment assistance payment, the employer of the employee cannot defend the claim on the ground that the employee does not satisfy the re‑employment eligibility criteria set out in section 7(1) of the Retirement and Re‑employment Act 1993, if the employer did not raise this defence during the mediation under Part 2 of the specified employment dispute concerning the employment assistance payment.
employer
“employer” means any person who employs an individual under a contract of service, and includes —(a)the Government in respect of any category, class or description of employees of the Government prescribed to be employees for the purposes of this Act;(b)a statutory body;(c)a person duly authorised by an employer to be the employer’s agent or manager;(d)a person who owns, carries on or is responsible for the management of the profession, business, trade or work in which that individual is or was engaged; and(e)for an employment dispute relating to the termination of a contract of service or any mediation request submitted or claim made after the end of a contract of service, the former employer, even though the relationship between employee and employer has ended;