Advising Employers

Our Employment Law team has substantial experience of advising employers. We are familiar with supporting clients ranging from small employers to large corporate clients with sizeable HR departments. Our work often takes the form of providing day to day ad hoc advice on employment law and HR issues, but also includes advising and supporting clients when they embark on specific projects.

Our Employment Law department has first-hand experience of advising employers in a broad range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, specialist vehicle manufacturing, travel, publishing, education, golf clubs and the drinks industry. With a solid track record of success, working with many different kinds of client, our team has invaluable insight and knowledge regarding the practical application of employment law in a wide array of workplaces. This experience enables us to provide you with advice and representation that is both user-friendly and commercially relevant.

Examples of employer related advice

• When you are conducting disciplinary or grievance proceedings, we can guide you on the procedure to adopt and give practical advice on how to tackle specific issues you encounter;
• When you are tackling capability issues, we can help you design and implement capability procedures, including performance management and absence management procedures, and provide you with practical advice on their use in specific cases, as well as delivering training for managers, supervisors and HR professionals addressing management of these issues in the workplace;
• If complaints have been made alleging whistleblowing, bullying, discrimination, harassment or other unfair or inappropriate treatment, we can advise you on how to investigate and address those complaints;
• Should you need advice on the fairness of dismissals or on employment rights, we can review the situation with you and provide advice on your position, as well as outlining the options you have to help you decide how to proceed;
• In circumstances where you wish to negotiate termination packages, we can advise you on the package, help you conduct the negotiations and draft settlement agreements for you;
• If you need to conduct a re-organisation or consider redundancies, we can help you plan and also provide advice and practical support as you implement the project, including helping you address the notification and collective consultation obligations associated with large scale exercises;
• Should you need to consider relocating a workplace, we can help you plan the employment law aspects and provide advice and practical support with the consultation process and implementing the decision itself, including helping you address the notification and collective consultation obligations that can arise with large scale relocations;
• If you are considering either a business transfer (whether externally or inter-Group) or outsourcing specific activities, we can advise you on the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE), including advising you with regard to conducting consultation, the legal obligations triggered, the employment protection rights that apply and drafting/negotiating TUPE terms in the business sale/outsourcing agreement;
• Should you have dealings with trade unions, then we can support you with addressing any industrial relations issues you may encounter, including recognition requests, collective bargaining, industrial action and claims before the Central Arbitration Committee;
• If you need employment contracts, handbooks and/or HR policies drafting or reviewing, we have the expertise to prepare these and invaluable experience of the problems faced in real workplaces to draw on;
• Should you need to draft post-termination restrictions and confidentiality obligations or require help with potential breaches, we can provide you with advice and represent you in enforcement proceedings; and
• In the event of workplace or post-employment disputes, we have an accredited mediator in our team who can conduct mediations.

We are able to help with the whole spectrum of employment law and HR matters and, where appropriate, our team can also draw on the skills of specialist human resource consultants with many years of experience working as HR professionals. Our focus is very much on providing pragmatic advice and practical support to help you manage the workplace issues that you face.

As we recognise that the needs and resources of every employer are different, we tailor our service to suit you. We always welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs and the support we can provide.

Contact us

For more information on our Employment Law and HR advice services, please contact Nicki Collins, PA in Employment Law.