Contrary to popular belief, an employer doesn’t have to provide an employee with a contract of employment. However, they must provide an employee with a statement of their main terms and conditions within 2 months of the employment commencing (or within 1 month of any change).
Most employers do decide to issue contracts of employment as they can cover much more than the basic requirements of the mandatory statement of terms, for example, restrictive covenants.
When offering a role to a new employee or promoting an existing employee it’s essential to make sure you understand what the contract says – and to make sure that there aren’t any surprises.
Having a contract professionally drafted or reviewed before entering in to it can be very beneficial for you so that you can ensure that the contract is appropriate for the employee, bearing in mind their seniority and value to the business, and that it accurately reflects the agreement made between you and the employee.
Selling a Business - A Complete Guide
There are many factors to consider when selling a business and it isn’t something that should be entered into lightly. Our free guide runs through some of the important considerations this involves.
Employment Law - Changes employers need to be aware of
As we enter 2024, we’ve been reflecting on some of the significant changes in employment law we have seen over the course of 2023 which employers need to be aware of. These include amendments to the flexible working regime, further deliberations about employment status by the Supreme Court and considerable changes to the calculation of holiday pay. 2024 looks set to be a big year for change in employment law, so here we have done a roundup of key developments in 2023 and have highlighted the ‘ones to watch’ in 2024.
Business Legal Services Team
Our Business Legal Services team pride themselves on being able to offer high quality ‘city style’ advice in a user friendly, cost effective manner to local, national and international businesses.
Are Restrictive Covenants too harsh?
Would removing non-compete clauses improve worker’s rights? Theoretically, they’re supposed to be in place for C-suite level employees to prevent them taking business secrets to competitors. So, is it necessary to make low-level workers sign non-competes too? Is it too harsh?
Business First Magazine Spring 23
In this issue we cover lots of topical business issues and challenges from Mergers, Layoffs, Going Global, Commercial Property and more
Holiday pay ruling upheld for part year workers
Holiday pay for those who work only part of the year and have no contractually set hours should be calculated on the basis of average earnings, the Supreme Court has confirmed.
How to avoid an Employment Tribunal
The cost of defending Employment Tribunal cases can vary significantly and could cost your business anything from £10,000 to £50,000. Then if the claimant is successful, there will be the cost of compensation on top of this. The average award for an unfair dismissal case in the UK is a little under £7,000, with claims resulting from discrimination costing significantly more. Businesses also need to consider the hidden cost of employment law claims caused by the damage it can do to their reputation as an employer and as a business that clients and customers want to work with. Often this cost can be more damaging than the award itself.
.
Recruitment - How to get it right
In our latest blog Head of Employment Law, Katie Ash, goes through the eight key steps to lawfully recruiting someone into your business. It can be a costly mistake to ignore the rules and get this wrong.
Gender Pay Gap Reporting: Your Questions Answered
Over time, the gap between women’s and men’s median hourly earnings has been narrowing. In fact, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) it has fallen by over a quarter among full-time employees in the last decade.
How to calculate holiday pay in 2021: an update on legislative changes
For many businesses, calculating holiday pay is a straight-forward process. Employers are, within the parameters of the law, able to dictate how many annual leave days or hours a staff member is entitled to.
What is the Good Work Plan and why does it matter?
For many, 2020 will go down in history as the year that changed everything, and one of the most significant changes was the way in which we work.
How best to prepare for outbreaks of sickness in the workplace
When the first cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) were reported last month, it was widely assumed it would run its course relatively quickly, with a minimal number of people affected resulting in little impact on the UK economy.