Usually the forum for humdrum disputes over hourly rates and unpaid overtime – employment tribunals are not the first place you’d look for an eye-catching yarn.

But for dedicated followers of the tribunal service’s list, recent weeks have been a purple patch of zingers, with judges settling the kinds of rows that belong more in a soap opera than in civil proceedings.

Cases have included arguments over whether being called messy is harassment, calling your boss a “dickhead” is a sackable offence – another considered if young chatty workers disturbing older colleagues breaches equality rules.

Employees who soldier on without complaint might be surprised to see such issues litigated, the fact that they are, according to experts, is down to an unusual confluence of factors.

Andrea London, employment partner at Winckworth Sherwood, said some of the headlines are down to selective reporting of much wider claims – but another reason for wide-ranging allegations may be that people are choosing to represent themselves in disputes.

While a lawyer would advise on what to include in a claim, a litigant in person (representing themselves) would be likely to cover everything they thought might be relevant.

“These are the quirky sort of bits that people might be interested in reading about, rather than [the substance of] an entire claim,” London said.

“There are a lot of very serious claims going through but what we tend to find, particularly with claimants in person, is that they will...

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