Employment Law
EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM MERTON – EMPLOYMENT LAW SOLICITORS MERTON
Employment law is a highly regulated of the law every business, irrespective of its nature and size, must be in compliance with. Failure to do so can result in expensive and time consuming ligation, potentially attracting unwanted publicity and industrial action. Compliance will also help keep employee morale and general productivity high. So you can focus on your business and get the best out of it, leave the legal work to our specialist employment law solicitors.
Areas we commonly advise on
We provide a wide range of advice to businesses of all sizes and shapes. We commonly provide advice regarding:
- Recruitment procedures, policies and laws
- Discrimination, including advice concerning the Equality Act 2010
- Employment contracts
- Workplace policies and procedures
- Dismissals and redundancy
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Employment tribunals
- Sickness and absence procedures
- Compromise agreements
- The handling of workplace grievances
- TUPE
- General statutory employment law, including, for example, working time regulations and minimum wage legislation.
The Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act was introduced early last year and naturally it is a topical piece of law. The Act was introduced to streamline discrimination laws and also introduces some substantive changes as well. However, some critics argue that the burden on employers is now too great, especially in the midst of uncertain economic times. Nevertheless, irrespective of arguments for and against the law, employers need to be aware of how it affects them.
The Act provides protection to employees with ‘protected characteristics’. This is a fancy way of saying protecting employees from discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities and gender reassignment. Discrimination can come in both indirect and direct forms. Whilst the meaning of direct discrimination is obvious, indirect discrimination concerns policies or criteria that unfair discrimination against a person with a protected characteristic. Employers are also required to generally monitor and prevent discrimination in the workplace. Even if the discrimination comes from a customer or other third parties, the employer will be in breach of the law where he does not take sufficient action to prevent discrimination. This might involve banning a customer from a shop or reporting the discrimination to the police, particularly for instances of racial abuse.
Are you in compliance with the new law? If you are unsure, get in touch with our employment law team to find out what we can do to help.
Employment tribunal procedures
Employment tribunals are generally less formal than regular courts with the intention of making the process quicker and accessible. If an employee makes a claim and it is accepted for review, the employer will be given a copy of the particulars of the claim and be given a chance to raise defences and counter arguments. Prior to a tribunal, both employer and employee will be encouraged to settle the issue through mediation organised by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Where mediation is possible, it is the preferred way of resolving a dispute and when advising our clients, we aim to settle disputes as early as possible.
Find out what we can do to help guide you and your business through the tribunal process by getting in touch.