Employment Rights Act 1996, section 128

Interim relief pending determination of complaint

Part X Unfair dismissal

[F833 (1)An employee who presents a complaint to an employment tribunal that he has been unfairly dismissed and—

(a)that the reason (or if more than one the principal reason) for the dismissal is one of those specified in—

(i)section 100(1)(a) and (b), 101A(1)(d), 102(1), 103 or 103A, or

(ii)paragraph 161(2) of Schedule A1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, or

(b)that the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was the one specified in the opening words of section 104F(1) and the condition in paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection was met,

may apply to the tribunal for interim relief.F833]

(2)The tribunal shall not entertain an application for interim relief unless it is presented to the tribunal before the end of the period of seven days immediately following the effective date of termination (whether before, on or after that date).

(3)The tribunal shall determine the application for interim relief as soon as practicable after receiving the application.

(4)The tribunal shall give to the employer not later than seven days before the date of the hearing a copy of the application together with notice of the date, time and place of the hearing.

(5)The tribunal shall not exercise any power it has of postponing the hearing of an application for interim relief except where it is satisfied that special circumstances exist which justify it in doing so.

Definitions used in section 128 4

employee

(1) In this Act “employee” means an individual who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, worked under) a contract of employment.

Defined in s.230(1) · see it in the full Act
employment

(5) In this Act “employment”—

(a)in relation to an employee, means (except for the purposes of section 171) employment under a contract of employment, and

(b)in relation to a worker, means employment under his contract;

Defined in s.230(5) · see it in the full Act

(6) This section has effect subject to sections 43K , 47B(3) and 49B(10) ; and for the purposes of Part XIII so far as relating to Part IVA or section 47B, “worker”, “worker’s contract” and, in relation to a worker, “employer”, “employment” and “employed” have the extended meaning given by section 43K.

Defined in s.230(6) · see it in the full Act
the effective date of termination

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, in this Part “the effective date of termination”—

(a)in relation to an employee whose contract of employment is terminated by notice, whether given by his employer or by the employee, means the date on which the notice expires,

(b)in relation to an employee whose contract of employment is terminated without notice, means the date on which the termination takes effect, and

(c)in relation to an employee who is employed under a limited-term contract which terminates by virtue of the limiting event without being renewed under the same contract, means the date on which the termination takes effect.

Defined in s.97(1) · see it in the full Act
employer

(4) In this Act “employer”, in relation to an employee or a worker, means the person by whom the employee or worker is (or, where the employment has ceased, was) employed.

Defined in s.230(4) · see it in the full Act

(6) This section has effect subject to sections 43K , 47B(3) and 49B(10) ; and for the purposes of Part XIII so far as relating to Part IVA or section 47B, “worker”, “worker’s contract” and, in relation to a worker, “employer”, “employment” and “employed” have the extended meaning given by section 43K.

Defined in s.230(6) · see it in the full Act

Cases considering section 128 25

Gisda Cyf v Barratt

[2010] UKSC 41 · 13 October 2010

The availability of interim relief for specified unfair dismissal complaints formed part of the statutory context supporting the Court’s construction of the effective date of termination (see paras [9]; [44]-[45]). The seven-day period for interim relief, for which no extension is available, strongly confirms that termination cannot take effect before the employee knows or has a reasonable opportunity to learn of the dismissal (see paras [10]; [44]-[45]).

Brandon Duffy v BXTR 3 Ltd T/A House of Gods

[2026] EAT 119 · 10 August 2026

The EAT describes interim relief as keeping the employment contract in force for limited purposes until determination of the claim, and notes the procedure’s urgent character. (see paras [6], [12]) The application must be determined as soon as practicable after receipt. The EAT treats that urgency as part of the required prompt, summary assessment. (see paras [12], [18])

Dr Rohit Sharma v University Hospitals Derby & Anor

[2025] EWHC 2263 (KB) · 22 July 2025Limits

The court noted that interim relief for statutory whistleblowing claims is limited to dismissal. It considered that limitation consistent with the availability of Civil Court injunctions for pre-dismissal contractual breaches. (see para [26])

5 more judgments, and what each says about section 128, are in the case-law panel in the full Act.

Amendments and notes

4 notes from legislation.gov.uk

Amendments

  1. F833S. 128(1) substituted (2.3.2010) by The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/493), reg. 12(8)

Modifications

  1. C148Ss. 128-132 extended (4.9.2000) by 1999 c. 26, s. 12(5) (with ss. 14, 15); S.I. 2000/2242, art. 2
  2. C149Ss. 128-132 applied (1.10.2006) by The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1031), regs. 1(1), 47, Sch. 6 para. 13(6) (with regs. 44-46, Sch. 7)
  3. C150Ss. 128-132 applied (6.4.2010) by The Employee Study and Training (Procedural Requirements) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/155), reg. 18(5)