What is the maximum claim amount at the ECT?

What the Law Says

The Employment Claims Act 2016 sets the monetary limits for claims that can be filed at the Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT). These limits depend on whether the claimant has undergone mediation at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) first.

Under the Employment Claims Act 2016, the ECT may hear employment claims only if they fall within prescribed financial limits. The law distinguishes between claims filed directly with the ECT and those referred after TADM mediation.

If a claimant files directly with the ECT without first attending TADM mediation, the maximum claim amount is $20,000. However, if the claimant has attempted mediation at TADM — regardless of whether it succeeded — the ECT may hear claims up to $30,000.

These limits apply per claim application. A claimant cannot split one claim into multiple applications to bypass the cap. Also, claims must be filed within 6 months from the date the cause of action arose — for example, from the date wages were unpaid or employment was wrongfully terminated.

Statutory Text

The Tribunal may hear and determine any employment claim where the amount claimed does not exceed $20,000; or where the amount claimed does not exceed $30,000 and the claimant has, before filing the claim, attended mediation conducted by the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management in respect of the claim.

— Employment Claims Act 2016, s. 12 — Jurisdiction of Tribunal

What to Do

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