When must the Employment Tribunal receive an ET3 response?

The Tribunal must ordinarily receive the ET3 response within 28 days after it sent the claim form. Exclude the sending day and carry a non-working final day to the next working day. Check the Tribunal’s directions.

Responsible actor. The respondent presenting the prescribed response form.

Use the Tribunal sending date, normally shown by its endorsement or covering letter. Check any direction under rule 16(2) or (3) before using the ordinary 28-day period.

No. The claim-presentation amendments do not replace the ordinary rule 17 response period. A case-specific Tribunal direction may still change it.

Use the Tribunal sending date, normally shown by its endorsement or covering letter. Check any direction under rule 16(2) or (3) before using the ordinary 28-day period. This calculator supports established operative events in 2026 and 2027. It does not decide disputed events, eligibility, continuing conduct, a qualifying series, extension applications or case-specific directions.

1. Use the Tribunal sending date, normally shown by its endorsement or covering letter. Check any direction under rule 16(2) or (3) before using the ordinary 28-day period.
2. Exclude the Tribunal sending day, count 28 consecutive days, then apply rule 5(2) to a non-working endpoint.
3. Rule 5(2), (8) carries Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday and England/Wales bank-holiday endpoints to the next working day.
4. Ensure the prescribed form reaches the Tribunal through a permitted presentation method by the applicable final day. Preserve submission and receipt evidence. A saved draft or contact with ACAS is not presentation.

Exclude the Tribunal sending day, count 28 consecutive days, then apply rule 5(2) to a non-working endpoint.

Rule 5(2), (8) carries Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday and England/Wales bank-holiday endpoints to the next working day.

Fictitious example

The Tribunal sent the claim on October 1, 2026, without a changed direction.

Fictitious established facts. These examples do not establish eligibility, the operative event, continuing conduct, a qualifying series, granted relief, valid ACAS receipt or completed presentation.

Is the ET3 period measured from my receipt of the claim?

Rule 17(1) ordinarily uses the date the Tribunal sent its copy. Rule 5(6) sets the evidence for that sending date, unless the contrary is proved.

Which current rule supplies 28 days?

Rule 17(1) supplies the ordinary response period. Rule 16 deals with sending the claim and directions. Schedule 1 concerns national-security proceedings.

What happens on a weekend or bank holiday?

Rule 5(2) carries this procedural endpoint to the next working day. Rule 5(8) defines working days. Do not apply that procedural carry to statutory ET1 limitation.

Prescribed procedure

This calculator uses the ordinary response period without a changed direction; reviewed response holiday endpoints are in 2026–2027.

• Use the Tribunal sending date, normally shown by its endorsement or covering letter. Check any direction under rule 16(2) or (3) before using the ordinary 28-day period. This calculator supports established operative events in 2026 and 2027. It does not decide disputed events, eligibility, continuing conduct, a qualifying series, extension applications or case-specific directions.
• This calculator uses the ordinary response period without a changed direction; reviewed response holiday endpoints are in 2026–2027.

• Use the Tribunal sending date, normally shown by its endorsement or covering letter. Check any direction under rule 16(2) or (3) before using the ordinary 28-day period.
• Verify the governing provision and any actual Tribunal direction.
• Use the prescribed form and complete required minimum information.
• Check the applicable ACAS certificate or exemption where required.
• Preserve the form, operative-event evidence and Tribunal submission receipt.
• The Tribunal must receive the prescribed response before midnight on the final working day unless it specifies otherwise. Check permitted presentation methods and preserve the receipt.