2 common mistakes made by lay litigants in employment cases

I meet many individuals who have submitted employment related claims to the Workplace Relations Commission and intend representing themselves.

Or they may want me to represent them, but they have come to me too late in the day or I do not have the time at short notice or it will not be cost effective given the claim they have made.

They come to me, nevertheless, for advice and for an idea as to what they can expect.

When I discuss their case with them, however, they often make two common mistakes which I see again and again:

  1. An inability to see the dispute from the side of the employer or the other party who has caused them to make the claim to the WRC and
  2. Focusing on things, events, incidents in the workplace which are completely irrelevant to the claim they have to prove

Putting yourself in the shoes of the other party can be a useful and valuable exercise.

Focusing on what you need to prove to win your case is also essential.

You may be interested in my book about employment law in Ireland.