Our Commercial Department are heavily involved in advising human resource departments of companies, partnerships and LLPs on employment law in the UK . In recent years there has been a tranche of new legislation coming into the UK from Europe through European directives. This includes Working Time Regulations, Flexible Time Regulations, Paternity Rights, Maternity Rights and a plethora of statutory instruments relating to the same. Employers need to ensure that this legislation is applied in the work place. In addition, we prepare staff contracts of employment, directors’ service contracts and staff handbooks.

In October 2001, new legislation was introduced whereby if employers failed to comply with their grievance and disciplinary procedures in relation to their employees, then it would be at serious risk of unfair dismissal claims. We have been involved in advising businesses in London for many years in respect to unfair dismissal claims and have conducted seminars and lectures on the areas of law.

Very often, when doing business with third parties, it is important that to record the terms of the arrangement with those third parties. We specialise in providing terms and conditions of business whether for service companies and manufacturing companies. It is, in our opinion, essential that these are put in place at the outset of your arrangement with third parties to avoid problems at a later stage.

The advantages of written contracts are obvious. The parties know where they stand, and know what their obligations and duties are. In a well run business this is key. The disadvantages of not reducing agreements to writing may not be so obvious. The absence of an agreement in writing creates difficulties when a dispute arises and the general law applies, which lacks focus for those at the centre of a dispute. Managerial backup and support becomes more difficult problems and the opportunity to share goals and objectives is lost.

We advise on many varied aspects of employment law including the following:

• Standard Contracts of Employment for Employees
• Directors Service contracts
• Unfair and wrongful Dismissal
• Redundancy
• Compromise Agreements (Agreements of settlement for Unfair Dismissal and Redundacy)
• Sex Discrimination
• Racial Discrimination
• Maternity and Paternity Leave
• Flexible Working Time and Part Time working
• Disability Discrimination Act
• Disciplinary and grievance procedures and their implications in respect of Dismissal

Employment Tribunal

We assist businesses incorporate the suitable terms into their standard contracts of employment to ensure they comply with all the relevant employment legislation. Where disagreements and disputes descend to proceedings before the Employment Tribunal, we are able to act and advise to assist mitigating compensation claims.