An employment tribunal bundle is a collection of all relevant documents that will be referred to during your hearing. Think of it as the evidence pack that tells the full story of your employment dispute, from start to finish.
The bundle serves multiple purposes: it provides the tribunal panel with the facts they need to make an informed decision, ensures both parties have access to the same documents, and most importantly, presents your case in a clear, chronological manner that supports your claims.
Both claimants and respondents are typically required to contribute documents to the bundle. The party responsible for preparing the final version is usually determined during case management discussions, but regardless of who compiles it, both sides must ensure all relevant documents are included.
Start with your fundamental employment records. Your contract of employment will form the foundation of most employment disputes, so ensure you have the most recent version along with any amendments or variations made during your employment.
Include your job description and any changes to your role over time. If your responsibilities have evolved significantly, these documents help establish the context for your claims. Staff handbooks and company policies are equally important — particularly sections which relate to grievance procedures, disciplinary policies, and any specific policies relevant to your case.
Email exchanges often form the backbone of employment tribunal evidence. Include all relevant emails between you and your employer, colleagues, or HR department. This covers formal communications such as grievance letters and disciplinary notices, as well as informal exchanges that demonstrate problematic workplace culture or behaviour.
Text messages and instant messages through workplace platforms like Teams or Slack should also be included, if they're relevant to your case. Make sure these are presented clearly, with timestamps and participant names clearly visible.
Meeting notes and minutes from formal meetings such as disciplinary hearings, grievance meetings, or performance reviews are also important. If you took your own notes during informal conversations, these can be valuable evidence, too.
Pay slips covering the relevant period are essential for most employment disputes. Include at least three months of pay slips before any issues arose, plus all subsequent pay slips to demonstrate any changes in your pay or deductions.
If you're claiming for lost earnings, gather evidence of your salary history, including any bonuses, commission, or overtime payments. P45 and P60 forms provide official confirmation of your earnings and employment dates.
For discrimination or harassment cases, include any records showing differential treatment in pay, bonuses, or other financial benefits compared to colleagues in similar positions.
If your claim involves health-related issues, medical evidence will make up a significant part of your bundle. GP records, consultant reports, and occupational health assessments can all help establish the impact of workplace issues on your wellbeing.
Fit notes and any correspondence with your doctor about work-related stress or injuries provide a clear timeline as to how workplace issues have affected your health. If you sought counselling or therapy as a result of workplace problems, include relevant reports with your therapist's consent.
Remember that medical evidence should directly relate to your employment issues. General health problems unrelated to your workplace dispute should not be included.
Witness statements from colleagues who observed relevant events can significantly strengthen your case. These should be formal written statements that clearly identify what the witness saw or heard, when it happened, and how it relates to your claims.
Character references from previous employers or colleagues can support your general credibility and work performance. However, these should be recent and relevant to the issues in dispute.
If you have statements from customers, clients, or other third parties who witnessed problematic behaviour, these can also act as evidence.
The most effective employment tribunal bundles follow a clear chronological structure. Start with your earliest employment documents and work forward through time to the most recent correspondence or evidence.
This approach helps the tribunal panel understand how events unfolded, and makes it easier for them to follow your narrative during the hearing. It also allows you to demonstrate patterns of behaviour or escalating problems over time.
Create a clear timeline of key events before you start organising documents. This will help you identify any gaps in your evidence and ensure documents are placed in the correct sequence.
Every document in your bundle should be numbered sequentially. Use a simple numbering system such as 1, 2, 3, or create section-based numbers like A1, A2, B1, B2 if you’d prefer to group similar documents together.
Create a comprehensive index that lists every document with its number, date, description, and page reference. This index should be placed at the front of your bundle and will be invaluable during the hearing when parties need to refer to specific documents quickly.
Make sure your numbering system is consistent throughout the bundle. If you need to add documents later, use decimal numbers (e.g., 15.1, 15.2) rather than renumbering the entire bundle.
Use continuous page numbering throughout your bundle. The index might be pages 1-3, followed by documents starting on page 4. This makes it easy to reference specific pages during the hearing.
Ensure all documents are clearly legible. If you have handwritten notes or poor-quality copies, consider typing up a transcript or obtaining better copies. The tribunal panel needs to be able to read everything clearly.
You can use dividers or clear section breaks to separate different types of documents to make the bundle easier to navigate.
A well-structured bundle typically follows this format:
Section A: Index and Case Summary
Section B: Pleadings and Orders
Section C: Contracts and Policies
Section D: Correspondence
Section E: Financial Records
Section F: Medical Evidence
Section G: Witness Evidence
One of the biggest mistakes is including every document you can find, rather than focusing on those directly relevant to your case. Irrelevant documents make your bundle unwieldy and can distract from your key arguments.
Before including any document, ask yourself: "How does this support my case?" If you can't answer clearly, consider leaving it out. Quality trumps quantity.
Randomly ordered documents make it difficult for the tribunal to follow your case. Avoid jumping between different time periods or mixing different types of documents without clear organisation.
Similarly, incomplete or unclear indexing makes your bundle difficult to navigate. Ensure every document is properly referenced and easy to find when needed.
Employment tribunal rules require parties to cooperate in preparing bundles. Failing to engage with the other party about bundle contents can lead to delays and additional costs.
Send your proposed bundle to the other party well in advance of any deadlines. Be prepared to include documents they believe are relevant, even if you disagree with their importance.
While you can prepare your employment tribunal bundle yourself, professional legal expertise can be invaluable in ensuring you include the right documents and present them effectively, in line with your claim(s).
A barrister specialising in employment law can review your evidence, identify gaps in your case, and help you understand which documents will be most persuasive to the tribunal. They can ensure your bundle complies with all procedural requirements, and even represent you in court as hearings progress.
Through the direct access scheme, members of the public can hire court representation without the need for a solicitor intermediary — often resulting in lower costs, more efficient communication, and quicker turnaround when it comes to reviewing documents and bundles. You can find out more about the direct access scheme here.
Before submitting your bundle, conduct a thorough review. Check that all documents are legible, properly numbered, and correctly indexed. Ensure your chronology is accurate and that you haven't missed any relevant evidence.
Ask yourself whether the bundle tells a complete story. Can someone reading it understand what happened and why you believe you have a valid claim? If there are gaps in the narrative, consider whether additional documents might fill them.
Check your case management orders for specific requirements about bundle submission. Some tribunals will require electronic copies, while others prefer hard copies. Ensure you meet all deadlines and provide the requested number of copies.
Submit your bundle to both the tribunal and the other party simultaneously. This ensures everyone has the same information at the same time, and prevents any suggestions that you've withheld evidence.
Remember that the tribunal panel will rely heavily on the documents you provide to make their decision. Taking time to prepare a clear, well-organised bundle demonstrates professionalism and helps ensure your case is presented in the best possible light.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the bundle preparation process, consider seeking specialist legal advice. At Barrister Connect, our specialist employment barristers can advise you on the process, help you identify the most important evidence for your case, and ensure your bundle meets all procedural requirements and timelines.