The Fair Employment Tribunal (Rules of Procedure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

General power to make preparation time orders

37.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) and in the circumstances described in rules 38 and 41 a tribunal or chairman may make an order (“a preparation time order”) that a party (“the paying party”) make a payment in respect of the preparation time of another party (“the receiving party”).

(2) A preparation time order may be made under rules 38 or 41 only where the receiving party has not been legally represented at a hearing under rule 22 or, in proceedings which are determined without such hearing, if the receiving party has not been legally represented when the proceedings are determined. (See: rules 34 to 36 on when a costs order may be made; rule 34(5) for the definition of legally represented; and rule 40 on the restriction on making a costs order and a preparation time order in the same proceedings.)

(3) For the purposes of these Rules preparation time shall mean time spent by –

(a) the receiving party or his employees carrying out preparatory work directly relating to the proceedings; and

(b) the receiving party’s legal or other advisers relating to the conduct of the proceedings,

up to but not including time spent at any hearing under rule 22.

(4) A preparation time order may be made against a respondent who has not had a response accepted in the proceedings in relation to the conduct of any part which he has taken in the proceedings.

(5) A party may apply to the tribunal for a preparation time order to be made at any time during the proceedings. An application may be made at the end of a hearing or in writing to the Secretary. An application for preparation time which is received by the Office of the Tribunals later than 28 days from the issuing of the decision determining the claim shall not be accepted or considered by a tribunal or chairman unless it or he considers that it is in the interests of justice to do so.

(6) In paragraph (5) the date of issuing of the decision determining the claim shall be either –

(a) the date of the hearing under rule 22 if the decision was issued orally; or

(b) if the decision was reserved, the date on which the written decision was sent to the parties.

(7) No preparation time order shall be made unless the Secretary has sent notice to the party against whom the order may be made giving him the opportunity to give reasons why the order should not be made. This paragraph shall not be taken to require the Secretary to send notice to that party if the party has been given an opportunity to give reasons orally to the chairman or tribunal as to why the order should not be made.

(8) Where a tribunal or chairman makes a preparation time order it or he shall provide written reasons for doing so if a request for written reasons is made within 14 days of the date of the preparation time order. The Secretary shall send a copy of the written reasons to all parties to the proceedings.