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UK Law Reference
All sections of Employment Rights Act 1996
1996 c. 18, s.117

Section 117 — Enforcement of order and compensation.

Extent: E+W+S

This version in force from 2004-10-01

Snapshot: 2026-08-24

Reproduced from legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). Amendments made after 2026-08-24 may not be reflected — always check the official text .

(1) An [F1 employment tribunal] shall make an award of compensation, to be paid by the employer to the employee, if—

(a) an order under section 113 is made and the complainant is reinstated or re-engaged, but

(b) the terms of the order are not fully complied with.

(2) Subject to section 124 . . ., the amount of the compensation shall be such as the tribunal thinks fit having regard to the loss sustained by the complainant in consequence of the failure to comply fully with the terms of the order.

(2A) [F2 There shall be deducted from any award under subsection (1) the amount of any award made under section 112(5) at the time of the order under section 113.]

(3) Subject to subsections (1) and (2) . . ., if an order under section 113 is made but the complainant is not reinstated or re-engaged in accordance with the order, the tribunal shall make—

(a) an award of compensation for unfair dismissal (calculated in accordance with sections 118 to [F3 126]), and

(b) except where this paragraph does not apply, an additional award of compensation of [F4 an amount not less than twenty-six nor more than fifty-two weeks’ pay],

to be paid by the employer to the employee.

(4) Subsection (3)(b) does not apply where—

(a) the employer satisfies the tribunal that it was not practicable to comply with the order, . . .

(7) Where in any case an employer has engaged a permanent replacement for a dismissed employee, the tribunal shall not take that fact into account in determining for the purposes of subsection (4)(a) whether it was practicable to comply with the order for reinstatement or re-engagement unless the employer shows that it was not practicable for him to arrange for the dismissed employee’s work to be done without engaging a permanent replacement.

(8) Where in any case an [F5 employment tribunal] finds that the complainant has unreasonably prevented an order under section 113 from being complied with, in making an award of compensation for unfair dismissal . . . it shall take that conduct into account as a failure on the part of the complainant to mitigate his loss.

Amendment notes

  1. F1 Words in s. 117(1)(8) substituted (1.8.1998) by 1998 c. 8, s. 1(2)(a) (with s. 16(2)); S.I. 1998/1658, art. 2(1), Sch. 1
  2. F2 S. 117(2A) inserted (1.10.2004) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), ss. 34(4), 55(2); S.I. 2004/1717, art. 2(2) (subject to art. 3)
  3. F3 Word in s. 117(3)(a) substituted (1.10.2004) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), ss. 53, 55(2), Sch. 7 para. 37; S.I. 2004/2185, art. 2
  4. F4 Words in s. 117(3)(b) substituted (25.10.1999) by 1999 c. 26, s. 33(2); S.I. 1999/2830, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 Pt. I (with Sch. 3 para. 8)
  5. F5 S. 117(6)(c) and preceding word “and” inserted (1.8.1998) by 1998 c. 8, s. 14(1); S.I. 1998/1658, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 3(7))