Compensation for successful discrimination claims will include an award for injury to the claimant’s feelings. When determining what compensation to award, the Employment Tribunal will consider how serious the discriminatory act or acts were and apply the “Vento Bands”.
What are Vento bands?
Vento bands are tiered values for compensation for damages payable for injury to feelings and psychiatric injury awarded by the Employment Tribunals.
The amount that is awarded is intended to take into account the amount of hurt, humiliation or distress an employee has suffered as a result of discriminatory conduct.
What are the changes to the Vento bands?
For claims presented on or after 6 April 2022, the Vento Bands will be increased to:
- Lower Band (for less serious cases) – £990 to £9,900
- Middle Band – £9,900 to £29,600
- Upper Band (for the most serious cases) – £29,600 to £49,300
- Exceptional Cases – over £49,300
What does this mean for employers?
The Vento bands are a useful guide to assess the potential cost of compensation for a discrimination claim. If an employer is unsuccessful in defending their claim the Employment Tribunal will use the scale to determine how much compensation the employee is entitled to receive for injury to their feelings. This is in addition to anything that is awarded for loss of earning, so successful claims can become costly.
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