Our Services - Services for Employers
EMB Solicitors

Services for Employers

Whatever we say on these pages, you will not know whether we are the right lawyers for you until you get to know us and until you sample the type of advice we can give you. This cannot be achieved until you decide to call us and take advantage of our Employers’ service.

We will help you manage employee relations in order to avoid disputes arising and, if they do, work with you to maximise your chances of a positive outcome. For example:

• Tribunal Claims: Sooner or later even the best employers may find themselves at the wrong end of a Tribunal claim. Whether it is unfair dismissal, statutory discrimination or one of the plethora of other potential claims, we will represent you. Sometimes cases have to be fought as a matter of principle. Sometimes a negotiated settlement may be appropriate. We will discuss these practical issues with you carefully and plan a strategy for resolving the problem.
  
• Employment Contracts, Policies and Procedures: It’s important not only to be an equal opportunities employer, but to be seen to be one. We can help you in this difficult area, including training, and advise you on issues such as spent convictions.
  
• Employment Contracts, Policies and Procedures: Good employment contracts should be the corner-stone of your organisation’s personnel management. We can ensure that you protect the vital assets of your business with effective employment contracts and comprehensive policies and procedures.
  
• Parental Rights:  We can advise you not only on basic maternity pay provisions, but health and safety assessments, redundancy during maternity leave and flexible working after maternity leave. We can also advise on the statutory entitlement to paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, and unpaid time off for family emergencies.
  
• Managing Sickness Absence: What do you do if an employee takes persistent short-term sickness absence; a day here, a Friday there, but overall giving you a major headache? Whether it’s short or long term sickness, we can advise you on how to manage the situation lawfully, and ultimately dismiss the employee fairly if the problem continues.
  
• Under-performing members of staff:  Despite trying, some employees may find it hard to do their job to the minimum standard you require. We can help you manage this situation, either to achieve the improvement required, or to bring their employment to an end fairly.
  
• Handling Disciplinary Issues:  It is harder than you might think to implement disciplinary procedures effectively. Many Tribunals make findings of unfair dismissal simply because employers have made basic procedural mistakes disciplining staff. We will advise you on disciplining fairly. Remember, it can be fair ultimately to dismiss for relatively minor but persistent transgressions such as turning up late, if you follow a fair procedure.
  
• Handling Grievances:  Many employers are automatically defensive when an employee raises a grievance. This is a mistake. Failure to deal with grievances properly can result in discrimination and constructive dismissal claims or stress-related sickness. We can help you get it right.
  
• Redundancies: Sadly, most organisations will need to make redundancies or offer severance sooner or later. Though a common situation, employers often get it wrong. We will help you manage the process efficiently and fairly, minimising the risk of Tribunal claims.

• Directors’ service agreements and contracts of employment,
  
• Staff handbooks and individual policies,
  
• Restrictive covenants, protection of confidential information,
  
• Transfer of employees on business acquisitions and disposals, including TUPE,
  
• Directors' duties and liabilities,
  
• Compromise agreements,
  
• Trade unions, collective agreements and staff consultation committees.