A RISE in unpaid wages claims has prompted calls for tougher action against employers who illegally withhold money owed to staff.

In the Jersey Employment and Discrimination Tribunal’s latest annual report, chair Dr Elena Moran said the number of cases involving unpaid wages is “unacceptably high”.

The report revealed that 309 claim forms were submitted in 2025 – the highest number ever recorded and up from 286 the previous year.

Among them were 109 claims relating to unpaid wages or unlawful deductions, compared with 81 in 2024.

Dr Moran said some of the increase was linked to the collapse of Blue Islands and the Style group of companies, which generated dozens of claims between them.

However, she warned that the wider problem of unpaid wages remained “unacceptably high”.

“Instances of employers deducting tax and social security and not remitting the money to Revenue Jersey are on the increase,” said Dr Moran.

“Despite this being illegal, there have been no prosecutions of employers.”

Dr Moran questioned whether businesses involved in such practices should continue to be licensed to operate.

“The government needs to consider whether individuals that engage in such practices should continue to be licensed to operate businesses,” she said.

The report showed that unfair dismissal claims also rose sharply during 2025, increasing from 119 to 172, while notice pay claims climbed from 76 to 98.

Dr Moran noted that there had also been an increase in claims brought by employees on work permits, which she attributed partly to better awareness of employment rights.

“Workers on work permits are in a particularly vulnerable position,” she said, warning that low wages and high accommodation and travel costs could leave dismissed workers “significantly out of pocket”.

The annual report also highlighted growing pressure on the tribunal service more broadly, with 177 hearings and mediations conducted during 2025.

Disability discrimination remained the most common type of discrimination claim, while the tribunal awarded more than £329,000 in compensation and damages over the course of the year.

Dr Moran said the work of the tribunal was becoming increasingly complex but praised staff for continuing to deliver judgments promptly despite growing workloads.