Employment law covers a big area – from employment policies to tribunals. Many businesses find it useful to rely on an employment law service to be sure that they respect the law. Below, and throughout this blog you can find information on common problems. Come to us for FREE employment law advice.
Complying with an employment lawyer makes you more productive and avoids you to be stressed and waste money for employment tribunal claims.
Out FREE Employment Law advice covers
Employment contracts and statutory requirements
Every employee should have a contract. Use our free employment law advice make this contract work to your advantage. to If you are an employer, you have to provide a written statement of the main terms and conditions. Changing the terms of the contract without the employee’s agreement can be a violation of contract.
You also must comply with minimum statutory requirements in terms of pay, hours of work and annual leave. These include the minimum wage, the working time regulations covering maximum working hours, and annual paid holiday entitlements. Other entitlements include statutory sick pay for qualifying employees.
Employee rights
Employers must respect a wide range of employee rights. These include providing employees with a healthy and safe working environment, allowing them to belong to a trade union and providing pay statements.
Pregnant women and new mothers have significant rights to time off both before and after giving birth. If they have been employed long enough, they also qualify for statutory maternity pay. Similar rights apply to adoptive parents and new fathers.
Crucially, employees are protected against discrimination on the basis of race, colour, nationality or ethnic origin, age, disability and religion or philosophical beliefs. It is also illegal to discriminate against anyone on grounds of their sex (including gender re-assignment) or marital status (including civil partnerships), or on the grounds of their actual or perceived sexual orientation. Employers can also be held liable for any discrimination or victimisation by their employees or visitors to their premises. Disgruntled employees may well try to claim illegal discrimination; an employment tribunal can award unlimited damages.
Managing employees
Large businesses must inform and consult employees or their representatives before making significant changes. It’s also good practice to keep employees informed and involved in important decisions.
You need to have written a statement that operates in a honest and transparent way.
If you need to dismiss employees, you must treat them rightly and reasonably. Unfair or wrongful dismissal can lead to an employment tribunal and an order to reinstate the employee or pay compensation.