ACAS operates special Arbitration Schemes for unfair dismissal cases and cases concerned with flexible working requests. on a voluntary basis. Under the rules of the schemes (revised in 2004) an arbitrator is able to make the same types of award as an employment tribunal, including power in unfair dismissal cases to make enforceable reinstatement and reengagement orders as well as or instead of compensation. For notes on the schemes go to ACAS/arbitration scheme/the scheme .

Compensation will normally be of a "basic amount", calculated in the same way as basic award by a tribunal, plus a "compensatory amount", calculated in the same way as compensatory award made by a tribunal - see para 156 et seq of the ACAS arbitration scheme.

Unpaid awards carry interest after 42 days in the same way as a tribunal award (para 186 the ACAS arbitration scheme).

The intention is that (subject to a few exceptions) an arbitrator's award will be final with no right of appeal. Thus paragraph 6 of the form of waiver which parties to an ACAS arbitration are required to sign before submitting to arbitration states "Unlike the employment tribunal, there is no right of appeal from awards of arbitrators under the Scheme (except for a limited right to appeal questions of EC law and, aside from procedural matters set out in the Scheme, questions concerning the Human Rights Act 1998 and devolution issues ").

See also notes at ACAS/arbitration scheme/the scheme and/or ACAS/arbitration scheme/a general introductory note .