The Early Conciliation (EC) requirement (also known as mandatory Acas early conciliation) is an obligation on a prospective claimant to contact Acas with certain information prior to submitting a claim in the Employment tribunal.

The EC requirement was introduced to:

1. •

   allow Acas the opportunity to promote the settlement of employment-related disputes at an early stage, and

2. •

   reduce the need for claims to be brought in the employment tribunal

Acas Conciliation involves an independent Acas conciliation officer (also known as a conciliator) discussing the issues in dispute with both parties in order to help them reach a better understanding of each other's position. The conciliation officer encourages the parties in dispute to reach an agreement between themselves in order to avoid the need for a tribunal hearing to resolve the matter.

For further information on Acas conciliation generally, see Practice Note: Acas conciliation.

Prospective claimants must comply with the EC requirement for most employment tribunal claims.

See also:

1. •

   The early conciliation requirement: relevant proceedings and extension of time limits—checklist

2. •

   Does the early conciliation requirement apply?—flowchart