Page:Employment Claims Act 2016.pdf/26

Rh (5) In this section, “appropriate court” means the High Court, a District Court or a Magistrate’s Court. Division 3—Proceedings before tribunal Proceedings conducted in private unless tribunal orders otherwise

18.—(1) Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4), all proceedings before a tribunal are to be conducted in private.

(2) A tribunal may, on its own initiative or on the application of any party to the proceedings, and in such manner as may be prescribed by Rules of Court made under section 33, do either or both of the following:
 * (a) allow one or more individuals to assist in resolving the claim amicably through mediation or conciliation;
 * (b) allow one or more individuals of skill and experience in the matter to which the proceedings relate to sit with the tribunal and act as assessors.

(3) A tribunal may permit one or more of the following to observe the hearing of a claim:
 * (a) any prescribed individual;
 * (b) any individual belonging to a prescribed class of individuals;
 * (c) any other individual that the tribunal deems fit.

(4) Regulations made under section 34 may prescribe different individuals or classes of individuals for different categories of claims for the purposes of subsection (3).

(5) To avoid doubt, subsection (1) does not prevent a tribunal from hearing 2 or more claims together, if it appears to the tribunal that doing so is convenient and does not prejudice any party to any of those claims.

Representation before tribunal

19.—(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), a party to proceedings before a tribunal—