Employment Appeal Tribunal guidance note on electronic filing of documents online – CE-File

Employment Appeal TribunalPractice Guidance

CE-File

  1. CE-File is the online system for filing documents electronically at the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT). It enables parties to lodge their appeals with the EAT, upload documents and access all their appeals. CE-File also provides a further permitted method for sending documents to the EAT.
  2. CE-File is operational at the EAT from 12 July 2021.
  3. For appeals commenced on or after 12 July 2021, parties or their representatives may use CE-File to provide documents to the EAT. A CE-File reference number will be assigned for each appeal. The reference number will be in the format, “EA-2021-000111-XY”. Appeals lodged in Scotland will be assigned a reference number in the format, “EA-2021-SCO-000111-XY”.
  4. Appeals commenced before 12 July 2021 have also been assigned a CE-File reference in the same formats. The newly assigned reference number can be used to access and track existing appeals on CE-File.
  5. Users of CE-File should continue to send a copy of any document they upload to CE-File to the other party by post, email or by hand. It should not be assumed that any document uploaded to CE-File (except the Notice of Appeal) will be sent by the EAT to the other party.
  6. Whilst the use of CE-File is not yet compulsory, all parties, whether represented or not, are strongly encouraged to use CE-File if possible. CE-File is the EAT’s preferred method for receiving documents. Professional representatives should note that they are likely to be required to use CE-File to commence new cases or deliver documents to the EAT from a future date to be determined.
  7. Where CE-File is not used, the EAT will continue to accept documents by post, email or by hand.
  8. The EAT Practice Direction 2018 (as amended) continues to apply in all other respects.

Registering for and using CE-File

  1. To use CE-File, you must first register as an E-Filer. This will allow you to file documents electronically. To register as an E-Filer you must take the following five steps:
  • access the CE-File website (external link, opens in a new tab)
  • register for an account or log on to an existing account by following the ‘Register as an E-Filer’ link at the bottom of the landing page;
  • enter details of a new case or use the details of an existing case;
  • select ‘Employment Appeal Tribunal’ from the ‘Courts’ menu and then select whether this is a filing for a ’New Case’ or an ’Existing Case’; and
  • upload the appropriate document; explain what is being filed and upload the claim form or documents in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
  1. Once you have registered as an E-Filer and have successfully lodged a new appeal, a CE-File reference number will be created and you will be notified of it in CE-File and via email. In CE-File, this reference number will appear on the CE-File screen.
  2. The maximum capacity for uploading a single document to CE-File is 50MB. If a document is too large, please send it in sections and make a note in the comments box. (Please note that if sending documents by email, the 10MB limit for email attachments continues to apply).

Further information and guidance

  1. General guidance and more information about the operation of CE-File can be found on GOV.UK (external link, opens in a new tab)
  2. For more information on filing documents please refer to the relevant guidance on GOV.UK (external link, opens in a new tab)
Users may also find the following videos helpful
CE-File EAT training (external link, opens in a new tab)

Video: An introduction to CE-File (external link, opens in a new tab)

Video: setting up a CE-File account (external link, opens in a new tab)

 

The Hon. Mr Justice Choudhury (President)

12 July 2021