Office of The Industrial Tribunals and The Fair Employment Tribunal facts for kids
| Non-Departmental Public Body overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Headquarters | Killymeal House, Belfast |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Website | www.economy-ni.gov.uk |
The Office of the Industrial Tribunals and Fair Employment Tribunal (OITFET) is a government group in Northern Ireland. Its main job is to help with special courts called employment tribunals.
These tribunals are like independent judges for problems at work. They handle many kinds of complaints. For example, if someone feels they were unfairly fired, didn't get paid correctly, or were treated badly because of their gender, race, disability, or age.
The Fair Employment Tribunal is another independent court in Northern Ireland. It specifically deals with complaints about unfair treatment based on someone's religious beliefs or political views.
About 59 people work for OITFET. They help organize and manage these tribunals. The staff are part of the Department for the Economy (DfE). A person called the Secretary of the Tribunals leads the team.
Industrial Tribunals: What They Do
Industrial Tribunals are special courts that deal with many different work-related problems. They are independent, meaning they make their own decisions.
They can hear complaints about:
- Being fired unfairly.
- Problems with a work contract.
- Not getting paid wages or other money owed.
- Being treated differently because of your gender.
- Being treated differently because of your race.
- Being treated differently because of a disability.
- Being treated differently because of your sexual orientation or age.
- Issues with part-time working or getting equal pay.
Most of the time, Industrial Tribunals meet in Belfast. But sometimes, they might use other places across Northern Ireland.
Fair Employment Tribunals: Their Role
The Fair Employment Tribunal focuses on specific types of unfair treatment. It handles complaints about discrimination based on a person's religious belief or political opinion.
These tribunals are similar to regular courts. However, they are not as formal. For example, the people in charge do not wear special wigs or gowns. Even though they are less formal, they must act independently. This means they cannot give legal advice to anyone.
Almost all hearings at the Fair Employment Tribunal are open to the public. This tribunal also meets in Belfast.
When someone brings a complaint to a tribunal, they are called a claimant. The person or company the complaint is against is called a respondent.
