Employment Solicitors Legal Advice York, Wetherby & Malton

Do you know your rights?

Employment Law has progressed rapidly during recent years and formal procedures are now in place for employees as well as employers. It is more important than ever to ensure that you are fully aware of your rights and obligations in the employment field.

Taking professional advice at an early stage can be a keystone in moulding a successful employment relationship. Do you have a contract of employment? Are you happy with its terms? Does it comply with current legislation? Could you do better? Seeking advice early can also be a key factor in successfully diffusing and/or commencing any potential claim against your employer.

We offer a full employment law service for both employers and employees. Our experienced employment team adopts a hands-on, understanding approach, providing valuable guidance, when you need it most, throughout all aspects of the employment relationship covering unfair and wrongful dismissal claims, discrimination claims cases, employment contracts and employment legislation. Our settlement agreement solicitors can assist you to take legal action when employment disputes arise.

Our areas of employment advice include:

• Recruitment
• Employment Contracts & Policies
• Redundancy Advice
• All areas of Discrimination:  Sex, Age, Race, Disability and Religion or Belief
• Maternity and Parental Rights
• Flexible Working
• Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE)
• Working Time Regulations
• Restraint of trade
• Settlement Agreements (previously known as Compromise Agreements)
• Employment Tribunal claims and legal representation

Employment law advice for employers:

• Disciplinary and dismissal procedures
• Grievance procedures
• Post-termination restrictions and injunctions
• Redundancies & business reorganisations
• Sickness and absence management
• Family-friendly rights
• Directors service agreements
• Executive terminations
• TUPE & employment issues arising from mergers and acquisitions
• Employment Law Retainer Scheme
• Employment Dispute Advice
• Employment Document Review
• Employment Law Updates

We also offer an Employment Tribunal advocacy service.

Promotions and grading; an employer’s guide to the risks

Giving employees clear pathways and opportunities for promotion and increasing pay grades will help to improve performance and keep staff motivated and committed to your organisation.

‘These, along with fair and consistent practice, should reduce the risks of discrimination and an equal pay claim when promoting staff and rewarding employees with increased pay grades,’ says Kalpesh Nakeshree, Head of Employment.

Employers should aim for consistency across the business to avoid damage to employee morale. Using robust well-documented and fair assessment and decision-making processes should reduce the risk of a legal claim.

We can help you navigate all aspects of these challenges, from defending an equal pay claim to drafting policies on promotion and grading. Contact our employment team for advice.

New rules for flexible working requests from 6 April

The right to request flexible working has been around for over 20 years, and in that time eligibility to the right has been extended from parents and carers of young children to all employees after 26 weeks in a job. Access to this right is about to widen again with changes coming into force this year. Accompanying the legislative changes is a new draft Acas statutory Code of Practice, subject to parliamentary approval.  Not every employer will agree with Acas’s enthusiasm for flexible working, but not following the process and missing any potential discrimination can lead to risks of tribunal claims and employee disengagement. We can provide you with a suitable policy to ensure your processes are up to date and help you minimise the risks.  Contact our employment team for advice.

Anti-Bullying Week 2023

As we approach Anti-Bullying Week from 13 to 17 November 2023, the Anti-Bullying Alliance is encouraging the public to ‘help make a noise to stop bullying.’ While the charity’s focus is on bullying in schools, small bullies grow up and go out to work, and bullying in the workplace has been hitting the headlines more frequently in recent months. (The charity has a useful explainer about the difference between banter and bullying, which applies to all ages).

Now is a good time to look at how employers can effectively respond to allegations of bullying at work and protect themselves from claims. Bullying at work can affect an employee’s work performance and damage their mental health, sometimes resulting in long periods off work.

We can ensure that you have appropriate policies in place and guide you through the process when allegations of bullying are made. Contact us today for advice.

Employers’ guide to dyslexia in the workplace

One in ten people are estimated to have dyslexia according to the British Dyslexia Association.  Dyslexia awareness week runs from 2 - 8 October 2023, and charities such as Made by Dyslexia are encouraging employers to see the benefits of what they describe as ‘dyslexic thinking’ involving above-average creativity and problem-solving skills.

We can advise you on making your recruitment and other processes more dyslexia-friendly, as well as give you practical advice on dealing with any specific cases. This should help you avoid costly claims as well as help you become an inclusive employer. For further information, please contact our employment team

Has your employee social media policy kept pace with business practice?

When did you last review or update the policy on social media use for your employees? Does it reflect the way that social media is being used on a day-to-day basis in your organisation?

Deploying social media is now deeply embedded in many employees’ job descriptions, whether for the purposes of promotion and marketing, recruitment or communicating with customers and suppliers.

Use of social media is no longer confined to the marketing team, and employers need to manage the risks that come with wider access to such a powerful tool.   Employees’ use of social media creates a wide range of potential liabilities for any business, from making your business vulnerable to losing important contacts through to problems accessing your own accounts when employees leave.

Although it appears to be an informal means of communication, extracts from social media accounts regularly appear as evidence in courts and tribunals these days.

Call our employment law experts who will highlight the risks to consider in deciding whether you need to review any contractual terms, policies, templates, and training.

Relocation: navigating the risks and pitfalls for employers

Due to changes in ways of working since the pandemic or in response to the economic slowdown, some employers are downsizing their premises and asking employees to relocate to new premises or hubs.

‘Even if the change in location only involves a short distance, employers need to consider the impact this will have on individual employees.  Any relocation programme needs to be well planned and to include plenty of time to consult with staff. Employers may need to brace themselves for loss of staff and the risk of unfair dismissal claims. As the closure of a place of work is categorised as a redundancy situation, in some circumstances, employers may also need to budget.  If you would like to speak to our employment lawyers about contractual, redundancy and discrimination issues please contact us.

Tempted by the four-day working week trial for your business?

One story which received a great deal of media coverage earlier this year was the publication of the results of a six-month trial involving around 2,900 workers who had moved to a four-day working week. The organisers of the UK trial heralded it as a success, and maybe you have been wondering if this could work for your business?

It is important to point out that this was not a trial led by the Government, nor did it investigate compressed hours where employees work their usual weekly hours over four days.   If you would like to discuss  the Legal implications when introducing the four-day week, whether as a trial or permanently please contact our experienced lawyers today.

Read our latest Employment law blog: 5 Amazing Facts about UK Employment Law

Contact our Employment Law Solicitors in Yorkshire

To find out more about our Employment Law services and how our specialist employment solicitors can help you, call us today on  01904 716000 (York) or 01937 583210 (Wetherby) or 01653 692247 (Malton), or complete our online enquiry form.

Really positive service. Very polite and helpful. Clear and caring, so nice to be treated with such dignity and respect. - Julie Goddard