Employees in Scotland now have six months, rather than three, to bring specified contract claims in the employment tribunal after a new order came into force on Monday.
The Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026 changes the time limit for claims arising from a contract of employment or for sums due under it when outstanding on termination. It brings the Scottish limit into line with England and Wales.
The longer period does not apply to every workplace dispute and does not create a new cause of action. Its transitional provision turns on the termination date: the six-month limit applies where the effective date of termination is on or after 9 November 2026. If there is no formal effective date, it applies where the employee’s last working day falls on or after that date.
For termination by notice, the effective date is when the notice expires. For termination without notice, it is when the termination takes effect. A limited-term contract is treated as ending when the limiting event takes effect if the contract is not renewed.
The change gives workers and employers more time for advice, internal processes and Acas conciliation, but it remains a limitation rule. A claimant must still identify the correct cause of action and calculate time under the applicable tribunal provisions.
