Discrimination claims expected to soar in 2012 It is possible a challenge could be brought to the decision to extend the unfair dismissal qualification period as it could be argued that younger workers are less likely to have been employed long enough to qualify. The legal experts warned that businesses could be put off hiring new staff as discrimination claims was more costly to defend. The maximum payout for workers claiming unfair dismissal is £72,300, whereas discrimination compensation is unlimited. The latest figures show there are some 236,000 tribunal claims in the system, a figure that is rising year-on-year. In 2010-11, there were 47,900 unfair dismissal claims, which the Government expects to see drop under the new rules by just 2,000 a year. A typical claim costs businesses £4,000 to defend, figures show. Business groups the CBI and British Chambers of Commerce backed the changes, arguing they would encourage firms to take on more staff. Neil Bentley, CBI deputy director-general, said: "Extending the qualifying period for unfair dismissal will give employers, especially smaller ones, confidence to take on more staff. It will be a particular boon for young people and those who've been out of work, as it will give them longer to demonstrate their value to employers. However, Mr Bentley urged the Government to do more to help create jobs. He said: "As we approach the halfway point in this Parliament, we've heard plenty of talk, but seen little action. Employers want to see the Government doing more to create a pro-employment landscape. John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), agreed. He said: "Doubling the qualifying period for unfair dismissal to two years sends the right message to business, and shows that the government is committed to reducing the regulatory burden faced by UK firms. Although this is a good start, more changes are needed if the government is to create a really hard-hitting deregulatory package for the labour market. This includes reforming redundancy rules, introducing a no-fault dismissal route and following through on fees for tribunal claimants. Friday will also see a raft of other employment measures come into effect, including rules to cut red tape around health and safety regulations and changes to the tribunals system to make it less bureaucratic.