Fair Employment Tribunal (Rules of Procedure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Review of tribunal’s decision

8.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this rule, a tribunal shall have power on the application of a party or of its own motion to review any decision on the grounds that –

(a) the decision was wrongly made as a result of an error on the part of the staff of the Office of the Tribunals;

(b) a party did not receive notice of the proceedings leading to the decision;

(c) the decision was made in the absence of a party;

(d) new evidence has become available since the making of the decision provided that its existence could not have been reasonably known of or foreseen at the time of the hearing; or

(e) the interests of justice require such a review.

(2) A tribunal may not review a decision of its own motion unless it is the tribunal which issued the decision.

(3) A tribunal may only review a decision of its own motion if –

(a) it has sent notice to each of the parties explaining in summary form the ground upon which and reasons why it is proposed to review the decision and giving them an opportunity to show cause why there should be no review; and

(b) such notice has been sent on or after the date of the hearing, but within 14 days of the date on which the decision was sent to the parties.

(4) An application for the purposes of paragraph (1) may be made at the hearing. If no application is made at the hearing, an application may be made to the Secretary on or after the date of the hearing, but within 14 days of the date on which the decision was sent to the parties. Such application must be in writing and must state the grounds in full.

(5) An application for the purposes of paragraph (1) may be refused by the President, the Vice-President or by the chairman of the tribunal which decided the case if in his opinion it has no reasonable prospect of success and he shall state the reasons for his opinion.

(6) If such an application is not refused under paragraph (5) it shall be heard by the tribunal which decided the case; or –

(a) where it is not practicable for it to be heard by that tribunal; or

(b) where the decision was made by a chairman acting alone under rule 10(5),

by a tribunal appointed by either the President or the Vice-President.

(7) On reviewing its decision a tribunal may confirm the decision, or vary or revoke the decision; and if it revokes the decision, the tribunal shall order a re-hearing before either the same or a differently constituted tribunal.