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Our Employment Law for Employees Services
Employment law exists to protect your wellbeing and safety at work and if it has been breached it can have detrimental effects. If you need to submit a claim for unfair treatment at work, we are here for you.
Experienced Employment Solicitors
From initial advice to guidance through the tribunal process, our expert employment solicitors have great experience in this area. They have a track record of getting the very best results whilst reducing the costs to you. Our solicitors work hard to bring unlawful practices to justice.
Instruct Proactive Solicitors for Legal Issues at Work
When a legal issue occurs at work, it is important to instruct proactive solicitors from the offset. This way you can avoid employment tribunal and actively work towards a settlement agreement. Our solicitors understand the strain going to tribunal can cause both mentally and financially, so we act to avoid this at all costs. We also work to get an outcome which suits you.
Free Initial Advice for an Employment Dispute
We extend our free initial phone call where we give advice on a number of legal situations for anyone facing a legal dispute at work. It is vital to get advice early so understand the workplace dispute process.
Typical Employment Disputes
Employment law is complex, and each situation is nuanced. Here are some typical disputes that we are often instructed to work on:
- Employment Contract Breaches
- Discrimination
- Grievances
- Redundancy
- Unfair Dismissal
Avoiding the Stress of a Tribunal
Our method is to work with you and your employer to mediate any issues you might be having. This includes the stages:
- Informal discussions
- Meetings to discuss unfair practices
- Formally raising a grievance
Achieving Satisfactory Outcomes
For any of the above disputes, our teams work for you to get the most satisfactory outcomes whilst avoiding tribunal. From requesting flexible work arrangements (such as flexi-time or work-from-home adjustments) to securing equal pay for your role or receiving the right terms for ending your employment, our teams want to get you the very best outcome.
Employment Tribunal Representation
If a case does go to tribunal, we can represent you and work to get the best outcome.
What are the Stages of an Employment Tribunal?
- Early Conciliation – this is the first stage and provide the opportunity for the employee and company to discuss the issues raised.An independent conciliatory from the Advisory, Conciliation and arbitration Service (ACAS) will mediate this stage.It is at this stage that costs can be significantly reduced if issues are dealt with there and then.
- Claims – The next stage begins straight after early conciliation. At this stage, the employee has one month (after the early conciliation stage) to fill out an ETI claim form which describes their dispute and how they have been mistreated.
- Response – At this point, the company may respond to the claimant. This response must be presented to the Employment Tribunal within 28 days of the ETI claim.Then, the employment tribunal will review the information from both sides before deciding on the next steps.
- Preliminary Hearings – If the employment tribunal struggles with either document, or they find the case is complicated, they may call for a preliminary hearing.This is common for cases which include discrimination.
- Schedule of Loss and Settlement Discussions – This stage comes after the company’s response (or after a preliminary hearing if the case requires one)and is where the claimant must prepare a schedule of loss document.This document sets out the losses that the claimant has suffered and what they expect to recover.The company can also respond with a similar document outlining what they believe the value of the claim is.
- The Hearing – Held by an Employment judge, this can take place in a tribunal building or online. For complex cases, there may be two lay members, one with HR background and one who is part of a trade union or employee representation background.The tribunal will read any statements and documents before hearing opening statements. Then, evidence is presented with witnesses speaking to the tribunal. Questions are put to witnesses from opposite sides and from the tribunal. Finally, both sides will make closing statements before the tribunal is adjourned while a decision is made.
- Judgement – At this stage, the tribunal has been adjourned, either for a short time or a matter of days, as the judge comes to a decision.
- Remedy Hearing and Compensation – This stage will happen if a case is won, and remediation and compensation is awarded.
Fees & Funding for Employment Law Solicitors
As every claim is different, costs will vary. So, we advise you to check out our fees and funding page to get an idea of legal costs for an employment dispute. Making claims against employers can incur excessive costs so we advise speaking to our solicitors first to see if you can make a settlement agreement before going down the tribunal route.
Legal Expenses Insurance
Legal Expenses Insurance (LEI) can cover your legal costs for everyday legal issues that may occur. Some of the issues covered are unfair dismissal, discrimination, injury, or disputes over faulty goods or services. LEI is often sold as add-on when you purchase an insurance policy, and, more than often, is included with home contents, buildings, and car/motorcycle insurance policies.
Trade Union Representation
Trade union members are often entitled to free representation through your union. In this case you should contact your union and them ask them to progress your case with their in-house legal advisors. We work with a large number of trade union across industries and locations.
All our initial advice is provided by qualified solicitors and offered for free, so please call us on 0844 800 9860 or request a call back through our form.
Our Approach
Our approach to employment disputes is to provide practical impartial advice from the outset and then continue to guide you with a professional and reliable service. You can see us as peers supporting you through a tough time in your career.
Our Work
We work diligently and proactively to ensure satisfactory outcomes. We work methodically throughout your dispute with the aim to resolve it before going to tribunal.
Our Clients
We work for employees across sector and no matter the business size. From micro businesses to large companies, we have experience winning satisfactory outcomes from a range of disputes. Whether you are part of a trade union or not, we can provide legal support- just make sure you contact your trade union first so that they can instruct us on your case.
FAQs
If you are expected to work regularly or work is consistent, you are an employee, and this should be reflected on your employment contract. You should always make sure to check through a contract you are signing to make sure the terms answer your needs.
The rights protected under employment law are:
- The right to National Minimum Wage
- A payslip which describes all deductions
- The statutory minimum level of paid holiday
- The statutory minimum length of breaks
- The right to work no more than 48 hours on average per week (of have the option to opt out)
- Protection from discrimination
- Whistleblower protection
- Protection from discrimination if working part time.
Additional rights may include the right to:
- Statutory Sick Pay
- Statutory Maternity Pay
- Statutory Paternity Pay
- Statutory Adoption Pay
- Shared Parental Pay
- Minimum notice periods
- Protection from unfair dismissal
- The right to request flexible working.
- Time off for emergencies
- Statutory Redundancy Pay
You are only entitled to statutory redundancy pay if you are an employee and you have been working for your employer for two years or more.
If you are eligible what you will receive will depend on age.
- For each full year you were under 22, you will receive half a week’s pay.
- If you are aged between 22 and 41, you will receive one week’s pay.
- If you are aged over 41, you will receive one week and half’s pay.
No, in all cases, both parties must cover their own legal fees. In exceedingly rare cases, the judge may order one party to cover legal costs. This is only the case if one party has acted unreasonably during the process.
First most, our solicitors fight for your case to be satisfactorily resolved outside of a tribunal. This is with an extremely low initial cost. Some settlements can be obtained with no cost whatsoever to a client as it is normally the case that an employer pays the legal costs in that case.
