Guidance

Information and consultation: apply to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC)

How employees, employers and their representatives can resolve disputes about setting up and running information and consultation arrangements.

As an employee you are entitled to ask your employer, if the company or organisation you work for employs at least 50 people, to set up arrangements for informing and consulting employees.

2% of the employees must request it and you can make the request:

  • direct to the employer

or

  • to the CAC if you want your details to remain confidential at:

Central Arbitration Committee
PO Box 78137
London
SW1P 9XE

enquiries@cac.gov.uk

As an employer, you can set up these arrangements without waiting for a request from your employees.

Types of application and complaint

There are 14 different applications and complaints that employers and employees can make. You can read a full list at I & C applications and complaints (PDF, 134 KB, 7 pages).

These include, whether:

  • an employer has provided employees with information on the number of people it employs

  • employees have made a valid request

  • the employer already has in place an information and consultation agreement

  • the employer has carried out correctly the appointment of negotiating representatives

  • the information and consultation arrangements have been set up within the proper timescale

  • the arrangements are working effectively once they’ve been set up

Make an application or complaint

Decide from the list I & C applications and complaints (PDF, 134 KB, 7 pages) which application or complaint you wish to make and choose the appropriate form.

The CAC’s contact details are on each form; send it to us by post or email.

What happens next

The CAC will acknowledge your application or complaint and invite the other party to respond to it.

We will tell you the names of the panel members who will be considering your application or complaint and the name of the case manager who will be your contact.

The case manager will tell you what happens next. This could include:

  • asking the employer and employees to provide more information

  • offering a meeting to see if the issues can be resolved informally

  • arranging a formal hearing after which the CAC will issue a decision.

Updates to this page

Published 23 October 2014

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