Employment Advice and Services
An employment strategy that delivers business objectives is every organisation’s goal. Generating and managing consistent policies is a complex and time consuming process that can prove difficult for many companies to achieve.
Recruiting and retaining skilled personnel and ensuring compliance with ever-changing employment legislation are aspects of business that every organisation needs to get right. Many organisations struggle to achieve this, perhaps lacking the internal resources to devote to this crucial area.
Recognising this difficulty, and mindful that the resolution of errors made by employers when dealing with employment matters can be costly both in terms of money and time, we have the necessary expertise to provide practical guidance, advice, and assistance to clients on a whole range of employment issues.
We understand that the decisions our clients take are based on commercial considerations and not just the legal position, and we work hard to understand the specific environment in which our clients operate, adapting our services to meet business needs. We provide outsourced employment advice and services to help clients navigate the complexities of UK employment law and practice.
Employment Advice
We give practical support and guidance to clients on a whole variety of issues that arise during the course of employment. Examples include the provision of advice on how to deal with:
- The introduction of new systems of work, such as flexible working
- The redundancy process and matters to consider as alternatives to redundancy
- Employee performance issues and high levels of employee sick leave
- Disciplinary matters and employee grievances, for example claims of harassment or bullying
- Introduction of employee incentive schemes
- Holiday entitlement whilst on sick leave or maternity leave
It can be very damaging, not least to the ongoing employment relationship, if decisions are made by an employer that are not in accordance with current legal requirements.
We can advise clients on their legal obligations, recommend a course of action, and highlight the potential risks and liabilities involved. Experience shows that our involvement at an early stage can be a cost-effective way of minimising the risk of tribunal claims.
Employment Services
We help clients by drafting and periodically reviewing their core employment documents and policies including:
- Employment contracts
- Directors' service agreements
- Consultancy agreements
- Employment handbooks
- Confidentiality agreements
- Data protection policies
- Email and internet policies
- Restrictive covenants
- Compromise agreements
The fast pace of change in employment legislation, and the developments in case law, make this a very difficult area for any employer that does not have in-house employment experts to keep completely current. Our involvement in drafting and reviewing these documents ensures that they keep abreast with changes in business needs and legislation.
For example, if it has been a few years since your employment handbook was last reviewed it is likely to need updating to take account of:
- The introduction of age discrimination legislation. The handbook should be checked to make sure none of the organisation’s policies or procedures inadvertently breach age discrimination legislation, for example by adopting redundancy selection criteria that make it harder for younger workers to score well, or by requiring workers to retire before the age of 65.
- Repeal of the statutory disciplinary and dismissal procedures. Procedures should be reviewed and amended to ensure consistency with the new ACAS code of practice.
- Extension of the right to request flexible working to parents of children up to the age of 16.
- Apart from any specific amendments required by changes in law or practice, it is a good idea to review your handbook periodically to make sure it is clearly written and can be easily understood by all employees.
