Employment Rights Act 1996

117 Enforcement of order and compensation.E+W+S

(1)An [F1employment tribunal] shall make an award of compensation, to be paid by the employer to the employee, if—

(a)an order under section 113 is made and the complainant is reinstated or re-engaged, but

(b)the terms of the order are not fully complied with.

(2)Subject to section 124 F2. . ., the amount of the compensation shall be such as the tribunal thinks fit having regard to the loss sustained by the complainant in consequence of the failure to comply fully with the terms of the order.

(3)Subject to subsections (1) and (2) F2. . ., if an order under section 113 is made but the complainant is not reinstated or re-engaged in accordance with the order, the tribunal shall make—

(a)an award of compensation for unfair dismissal (calculated in accordance with sections 118 to [F3127A]), and

(b)except where this paragraph does not apply, an additional award of compensation of [F4an amount not less than twenty-six nor more than fifty-two weeks’ pay],

to be paid by the employer to the employee.

(4)Subsection (3)(b) does not apply where—

(a)the employer satisfies the tribunal that it was not practicable to comply with the order, F5. . .

F5(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F6(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F6(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(7)Where in any case an employer has engaged a permanent replacement for a dismissed employee, the tribunal shall not take that fact into account in determining for the purposes of subsection (4)(a) whether it was practicable to comply with the order for reinstatement or re-engagement unless the employer shows that it was not practicable for him to arrange for the dismissed employee’s work to be done without engaging a permanent replacement.

(8)Where in any case an [F7employment tribunal] finds that the complainant has unreasonably prevented an order under section 113 from being complied with, in making an award of compensation for unfair dismissal F8. . . it shall take that conduct into account as a failure on the part of the complainant to mitigate his loss.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 117(1)(8) substituted (1.8.1998) by 1998 c. 8, s. 1(2)(a) (with s. 16(2)); S.I. 1998/1658, art. 2(1), Sch. 1

F3Words in s. 117(3)(a) substituted (1.1.1999) by 1998 c. 8, s. 15, Sch. 1 para. 20; S.I. 1998/1658, art. 2(3), Sch. 3 (with art. 3(6))

F4Words in s. 117(3)(b) substituted (25.10.1999) by 1999 c. 26, s. 33(2); S.I. 1999/2830, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 Pt. I (with Sch. 3 para. 8)

F5S. 117(4)(b) and the preceding word “or” repealed (25.10.1999) by 1999 c. 26, ss. 33(1)(a), 44, Sch. 9(10); S.I. 1999/2830, art. 2(1)(3), Sch. 1 Pt. I, Sch. 2 Pt. I (with Sch. 3 para. 8)

F7S. 117(6)(c) and preceding word “and” inserted (1.8.1998) by 1998 c. 8, s. 14(1); S.I. 1998/1658, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 3(7))

F8Words in s. 117(8) repealed (1.8.1998) by 1998 c. 8, s. 15, Sch. 2; S.I. 1998/1658, art. 2(1), Sch. 1

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1S. 117: power to modify conferred (1.8.1998) by 1992 c. 52, s. 212A(8)(a) (as inserted (1.8.1998) by 1998 c. 8, s. 7; S.I. 1998/1658, art. 2(1), Sch. 1)

S. 117 applied (21.5.2001) by S.I. 2001/1185, arts. 2, 3, Sch. para. 160

S. 117-127A applied (with modifications) (2.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1548, reg. 3

S. 117 modified (21.5.2001) by S.I. 2001/1185, art. 5