Employment Law for Businesses
When you’re running a business, it’s essential to know that you’re covering all the legal bases when it comes to looking after your employees.
Employment law is constantly changing and staying abreast of developments is vital, not only to avoid pitfalls but to make sure you have the right legal processes in place to keep your employees happy, motivated and productive.
At Wards Solicitors we provide help with everything from managing contracts, employment checks and keeping up to date with policies and procedures to specific advice if something goes wrong and an employee brings a claim against you.
We fully appreciate that every business is different and can identify and explain how recent legislation specifically affects you and your workforce whilst considering your commercial objectives and placing the wellbeing of your business at the heart of our recommendations.
Day to day – helping to ensure you fulfil your legal obligations as an employer
We can do this by providing you with comprehensive advice on how to protect your business in its day to day running. This includes how to:
- Draft employment contracts and service agreements including restrictive covenants
- Draft policies and procedures tailored to your business needs
- Protect your business’ confidential information
- Change terms and conditions of employment
- Transfer a business or workforce and deal with Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE)
- Draft proper agreements between business owners
"I want to express my gratitude to David and Rebecca for their outstanding efforts on my behalf. Right from our initial discussions, they provided invaluable assistance and were upfront about the merits of my case. Their support made a challenging period much more manageable, and the final outcome exceeded my expectations. I am delighted with the results, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their services to friends and family facing employment issues in the future. Thank you both for your assistance in this matter."
"I want to express my gratitude to David and Rebecca for their outstanding efforts on my behalf. Right from our initial discussions, they provided invaluable assistance and were upfront about the merits of my case. Their support made a challenging period much more manageable, and the final outcome exceeded my expectations. I am delighted with the results, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their services to friends and family facing employment issues in the future. Thank you both for your assistance in this matter."
"Its been refreshing to deal with somebody as professional and efficient as yourself, especially your prompt communication throughout. These seem to be rare attributes these days."
"James dealt with matters very efficiently and empathetically and always answered telephone calls and queries the same day - excellent communication from him."
“I would like to say how impressed I was with your professionalism in this matter and I’m very grateful to you for the outcome. After meeting you, I had no doubts about your ability to see the case through and I would have no hesitation in recommending you to anyone who needed your service. Thank you again for your help.”
If things go wrong – offering help and advice on all aspects of dispute resolution
Sometimes, inevitably, problems do arise and our overriding aim at Wards Solicitors is always to resolve disputes quickly, cost effectively and in line with your commercial objectives. We can advise you on how to deal with:
- Disciplinary and dismissal proceedings
- Senior Executive arrivals and departures
- Discrimination issues
- Settlement Agreements
- Without Prejudice negotiations
- Redundancy
- Maternity, Paternity and flexible working arrangements
- Employment Tribunal representation
- Injunctions or enforcement of restrictive covenants
- Mediation as a workplace dispute resolution process
- Disputes between directors
There may come a time, like many large employers, when you find yourself looking at a mass redundancy programme and the need to offer settlement agreements to large numbers of your staff.
Independent legal advice
Often, you will have your own human resource representatives and lawyers to represent your interests. But in addition to this, it is a legal requirement that your outgoing employees receive independent legal advice before they sign a settlement agreement. Employers usually pay a contribution towards these legal costs.
Each of your employees is entitled to find a lawyer for themselves but this can be a daunting task, especially as junior staff may not have used a lawyer before or have any idea about how to find one.
Advising your employees in the workplace
At Wards Solicitors, we have experience of acting for employees in mass redundancy situations. Our team can arrange to meet members of your staff in their offices and provide advice in-situ regarding the terms and effects of settlement agreements, answering any queries and resolving any issues in their best interests.
Meeting your employees in the workplace not only causes less disruption to the working day but can be reassuring for them too. We will work quickly and efficiently to resolve any issues that arise between these employees and you.
Discounted rate
Wards Solicitors will represent each outgoing employee at a heavily discounted rate when acting in these situations, will not charge for travel and will consider going anywhere in the South West or South Wales.
If you are an employer looking at a mass redundancy exercise and would like to talk to us about Wards Solicitors advising your employees on Settlement Agreements, please get in touch with James Murray on 01934 413535.