The general rule is that to appeal to the EAT the Notice of Appeal and supporting documentation must be lodged within 42 days from the date of the judgment, decision, direction or order being appealed against (normally stamped on the last page).
In three situations (set out in para 3 of the Employment Appeal Tribunal/2008 Practice Direction on procedure ) an appeal to the EAT against a decision of an Employment Tribunal must be lodged by within 42 days of the day on which written reasons for a tribunal's decision were sent to the parties.
The 42 day time limit is long by other standards (for example there is a 21 day time limit for appeals to the Court of Appeal) and perhaps for this reason it is strictly enforced. Applications for extensions of the time prescribed for instituting an appeal will not be heard until a notice of appeal has been served (see notes at Employment Appeal Tribunal/rules of procedure ).
The rules are set out in EAT 1993 rule 3(3)(a) as substituted by SI 2001/1128 and amended by Employment Appeal Tribunal (Amendment) Rules 2004, SI 2004/2526 para 4 (and see notes at Employment Appeal Tribunal/procedure for appellant and at Employment Appeal Tribunal/2008 Practice Direction on procedure ).
See also notes at