EMPLOYMENT tribunals are commonplace during recession so now is the time to formalise business practice, according to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

Acas southern area director Paul Beard (pictured) has teamed up with the GTA University Centre to establish a new line of courses aimed at dealing with problems thrown up by the economic situation.

These include a five-day course on internal workplace mediation, aimed at managing conflicts so they do not escalate, a two-day staff investigations course and short courses on managing people through difficult times, managing absenteeism and managing performance.

‘It is a very relevant time for these courses, especially considering the difficult times and the difficult financial situation we are in,’ said Mr Beard.

‘It is more important now to make sure we are getting these things right – getting the procedures right. Anything that isn’t can have substantial legal implications.’

He had no doubt the current economic climate had ramped up legal disputes.

‘What I see in the south-east is that we are having 41% more tribunal cases than last year,’ he said.

He said the courses were tailored for Guernsey but that it was also important people understood how the systems differed from place to place.