The first step in bringing an employment claim, is to commence the ACAS Early Conciliation procedure. This includes 3 steps:

Step 1: You must contact ACAS and supply relevant information concerning your claim. This information may be supplied by telephone, or by an online form. For further details see the ACAS website

Step 2: ACAS will contact you, and explain the conciliation process. If you wish to proceed, then details of your claim will be passed to a conciliation officer.

Step 3: The conciliation officer will contact both you and your employer. This will be to try to promote settlement

If the conciliation officer cannot contact parties, if it is not possible to resolve the claim or if the parties refuse to participate then the conciliation officer will issue an Early Conciliation Certificate. This Early Conciliation Certificate will contain a Unique Reference Number that will need to be used in the application to the Employment Tribunal.