Owning a business means you are responsible for complying with certain rules and laws, which are there to protect your business and your employees. If you do not comply with these rules and laws, you can be setting yourself up for failure as claims could be made against you, which can damage your business both financially and reputably.
When it comes to employment, no two businesses are the same. Your employment needs will not be like the company next door as your number of employees, type of staff and the service you provide can have a great effect on your needs as a business, no matter how big or small.
Employment law can be very overwhelming and it can be difficult to navigate where to begin. So, where do you start?
The first thing you need to ensure you have in place is a contract between the employer and employee. This is essential for any business as contracts help you manage your staff and protect yourself and your employees if complications were to arise. An employment contract should include hours of work, job title, job role/description, workplace, agreements, holidays, termination, probation period, salary, sick pay, pension and many more.
Secondly, any sized business that employs someone needs to ensure they have an employee handbook. An employee handbook outlines important information about working at the business and should include work policies, procedures and necessities such as information about reporting absences, maternity & paternity leave, bereavement leave, annual leave, data protection and much more.
It may seem unnecessary, but you also need to have a disciplinary process in place. Many employers will face situations where they must take disciplinary action due to misconduct or poor performance, where the business could be at risk or exposed to potentially costly claims. The process should include a reasonable investigation of any allegations, notifying an employee of the disciplinary hearing, giving the employee time to prepare for a hearing, informing the employee of their right to be accompanied, allowing the employee at the hearing to respond to any allegations, confirming any decision in writing, including the employee’s right to appeal.
Employment law is a constantly changing sector, with so many laws and regulations updated regularly, it can be difficult, confusing and quickly become an unwanted hassle. That’s why our Specialist Solicitors are happy to assist you in all crucial employment law areas including:
If you’re an employer in need of employment law assistance to ensure your business is protected, simply get in touch with us at 01282 695400 or drop us an email at info@farnworthrose.co.uk and a member of our team will be in touch ASAP in regards to your matter.
