Early Conciliation
(EC)
Early Conciliation is a free process run by Acas that must be attempted before most Employment Tribunal claims can be lodged. The claimant notifies Acas of their intention to bring a claim; Acas then contacts both parties to see if a negotiated settlement is possible. If no settlement is reached within the time limit, Acas issues a certificate allowing the claimant to proceed to the tribunal. The limitation period for claims is paused during Early Conciliation.
Early Conciliation is a free process run by Acas that is a mandatory pre-condition for most Employment Tribunal claims. The prospective claimant submits an Early Conciliation notification online or by phone. Acas contacts both parties to explore settlement; the standard conciliation period is up to 6 weeks (extendable by 2 weeks by mutual agreement). If no settlement is reached, Acas issues an Early Conciliation Certificate with a reference number that must be quoted on the ET1 tribunal form. Critically, the tribunal time limit (usually 3 months) is paused ('tolled') during Early Conciliation, so the clock stops running when you notify Acas and restarts when the certificate is issued. Early Conciliation is confidential and without prejudice — offers made cannot be used as evidence in later proceedings unless both parties agree otherwise.