Tribunal applications

I recently submitted a tribunal application, claiming unfair dismissal. I knew I was close to the deadline and so I took it personally to the tribunal office. The office was closed and there was no post box specifically for it. There was a letter box for the whole of the building that housed a number of offices in addition to those of the employment tribunal. I have been told that just posting it through a general box is not enough and if the application fails to reach the tribunal office within the deadline I will be time barred from taking a claim. Is this right?

Provided you posted the application into the only post box available (if there was none specifically for tribunal applications), the tribunal will rule that the application has been received in time. The EAT ruled recently that the fact that the letterbox was not solely for the tribunal is not relevant.

* More information: Bowley Data Systems v Gill EAT/889/02