How Acas Can Help Resolve a Workplace Dispute Without an Employment Tribunal

Updated

Acas offers a free dispute resolution service that can help employers and employees reach a legally binding agreement without going to an employment tribunal. The service is available to both sides of a dispute and is separate from Acas's general advice line, so it suits people who have already identified a disagreement and want a structured route to settling it. The exact process and eligibility depend on the type of dispute, so the first step is to check which Acas service fits your situation.

What Acas's dispute resolution service covers

Acas describes its dispute resolution services as helping you "get a legal agreement without going to an employment tribunal, or help resolve a dispute." Two things follow from that wording:

  • The primary aim is a legal agreement — a settlement that both sides sign and that closes the matter, rather than an informal understanding.
  • The service also covers disputes more broadly, not only claims that would otherwise end up at a tribunal.

This matters because a workplace disagreement can be resolved at different stages: before a formal claim is made, after a claim is lodged, or in a dispute that never had a tribunal route at all. Acas positions itself as the workplace expert for England, Wales and Scotland, providing free and impartial advice to both employers and employees.

Who it is for

The service is designed for employers or employees who are already in a dispute and want to understand their options for resolving it without litigation. Because Acas is impartial, it does not act for either side. That makes it usable by:

  • An employee who believes they have a claim but would prefer a settlement to a tribunal hearing.
  • An employer facing a grievance or potential claim who wants a lawful route to resolution.
  • Either party in a dispute that is not tribunal-bound but still needs independent help.

If you are not yet in a dispute and simply need to understand your rights, the free advice service is the better starting point. If you need documents to put a resolution in writing, Acas also publishes free templates — letters, forms and policy documents — that you can adapt.

How the route works in practice

Acas does not publish a single universal step-by-step for every dispute type on its homepage, so treat the following as the general shape of the process rather than a fixed script:

  1. Identify the type of dispute. Is this a potential employment tribunal claim, a collective issue, or a general workplace disagreement? The answer determines which Acas service applies.
  2. Contact Acas through the dispute resolution route rather than the general advice line, and describe the disagreement and what each side wants.
  3. Use the impartial support offered to exchange positions and explore settlement. Acas's role is to help the parties reach agreement, not to decide who is right.
  4. Put the outcome in writing. The goal is a legal agreement. Acas's free templates can help with the paperwork, but the terms should reflect what both sides actually agreed.
  5. Verify the result. Confirm that the agreement is signed by both parties and that it covers the specific dispute, so the matter is closed.

A concrete example

Suppose an employee raises a grievance about how a redundancy selection was handled and hints at a tribunal claim. Rather than waiting for a claim to be lodged, either side can approach Acas's dispute resolution service. Acas helps the parties set out their positions, tests where common ground exists, and — if a deal is reached — supports putting it into a written agreement. The employee gets certainty and avoids a hearing; the employer closes the matter without tribunal costs. If no agreement is reached, the normal tribunal route remains open.

What this route does not do

  • It does not provide legal representation for either side.
  • It does not guarantee a settlement — if the parties will not move, the dispute can still go to a tribunal.
  • It is not a substitute for checking your specific rights; use the free advice service and templates for that groundwork first.

Practical next steps

Start on acas.org.uk by reading the "How Acas can help" section and choosing between Advice, Templates, and Dispute resolution services based on where you are in the disagreement. If you are already in a live dispute and want to avoid a tribunal, the dispute resolution route is the one to pursue; if you are preparing your position, the free templates will save time later. Acas also offers training and tailored support on employment topics, which can help employers prevent similar disputes arising again.