For employers
Most employment disputes are decided by documents created long before the dispute: the contract, the handbook, the disciplinary procedure and the written record of what was said and when. We advise on getting those right, and on following them when a problem arises.
Where a dismissal is contemplated, the process matters as much as the reason. We advise on both, and on the exposure attached to getting either wrong.
For employees
We advise employees on the terms they are being offered, on their position where a contract has been changed unilaterally, and on the merits of a claim for unfair dismissal or unpaid entitlements. We give a frank assessment of the prospects and of what the process will involve before anything is filed.
Where employment disputes are heard
- The Industrial Tribunal, for unfair dismissal and conditions of employment
- The Department for Industrial and Employment Relations
- The ordinary civil courts, for contractual claims
- Internal grievance and disciplinary procedures, before any of the above
Practical advice, early
Employment problems are considerably cheaper to solve at the point where someone first feels aggrieved than after a claim has been filed. We would always rather be asked about a difficult situation while options remain open.
Common questions
- Do you act for employers or for employees?
- Both, though never on both sides of the same matter. Acting for each gives us a realistic view of how a case will be met.
- What is the first step in an unfair dismissal claim?
- An assessment of the facts, the contract and the documented process. Claims before the Industrial Tribunal are subject to time limits, so take advice promptly.
- Can an employer change terms of employment unilaterally?
- Generally not, absent a contractual right or agreement. Where it has happened, the response depends on the change and on how it was implemented.