Employment Law Support For Employers

Whether one is dealing with recruitment, managing workplace disputes or absenteeism, conducting disciplinary and grievance hearings, they are likely to throw up occasional challenges where employment law support for employers is needed.

What are the “must have” clauses of a contract of employment and, by the same token, what other provisions are better left for a non-contractual staff handbook?

In what circumstances can an employer vary contracts of employment, and what happens if some employees will not agree to changes? Furthermore, attempting contract variations off the back of a recent TUPE transfer raises other unique challenges.

Are restrictive covenants in employment contracts really necessary – if so, what company activities need to be protected and for how long? How does one draft a restrictive covenant which has a reasonable chance of being enforceable?

Employee misconduct. Does the alleged misconduct require a preliminary investigative stage, or is there enough evidence to proceed straight to a disciplinary hearing? What are the requirements for conducting a fair disciplinary hearing , and how does one write a well reasoned disciplinary findings letter based upon both the allegations and the evidence in play?

How does one deal with the employee who is persistently having bouts of short-term sick absence; or the individual returning from a long-term illness and claiming they have a mental or physical impairment? What are “reasonable adjustments” and how far does one have to go to satisfy any statutory duty in respect of accommodating a disabled employee?

With all the above, the right approach can be straightforward. More typically, however, there will be a range of options, each one having different consequences for both the immediate situation and, more particularly perhaps, for an ongoing working relationship.

Of course, there are the more routine matters – understanding the rights and obligations of maternity, paternity, and other types of statutory leave. Rights which are all enshrined in detailed and quite pithy regulations. The answer is not always obvious.

So regardless of whether some quick ad-hoc advice is required, or more strategic problem solving input is needed for a developing workplace situation, Filor Solicitors offers employment law support for employers which takes account of the risk of disputes unfolding, as against the commercial imperatives of needing an unconstrained operational environment.