How can an Employment Lawyer help you?

by Duncan McFadzean Solicitor

Employment solicitors are lawyers who have specialised in Employment Law. Some will only take on employers as clients but many will provide legal advice for both employers and employees.

When are you likely to need an Employment Solicitor?

In most cases, your contract of employment will be straightforward and when you move onto another job you will leave your previous place of employment with a good reputation. Here are a few examples of the many reasons that an employee made need an employment lawyer:

Settlement Agreement
The employee may be made redundant, or there may be an ongoing dispute which means that either the employee, the employer, or both wish to bring the employment relationship to an end. The point of a settlement agreement is usually to draw a line under the employment relationship. Typically the employee will be expected to agree to accept a sum of money in exchange for waiving any rights which he or she may have to take legal action against the employer.

Prior to signing a settlement agreement, I highly recommend that you get it checked by a specialist employment solicitor.
New Employment Contract
Either clients are about to start a new job or their employer has asked them to sign a new contract of employment. In either case, employees sometimes need the advice of a solicitor if there is something in the contract that they are not happy about, or they believe is unfair or unlawful. An employment lawyer can help negotiate satisfactory terms of employment.
Grievances
Submitting a grievance should be seen as a positive step because a reasonable employer who is confronted with a grievance will take steps to resolve the matter. Of course, some employers are not reasonable, but it remains important to follow a proper grievance procedure. If an Employment Tribunal ever has to consider a dispute it is often important for an employee to be able to show that he or she has attempted to have the matter resolved by way of a grievance. At ELP Arbuthnott McClanachan, we can assist employees with the drafting and pursuit of grievances. We encourage employees to contact us at the earliest possible stage.
Ill Health
Employees who suffer from ill-health can find themselves in a difficult employment position. Your employer may be unhappy about the time you are taking off work or may try to end your employment. An employment solicitor can provide legal advice and representation to employees who are having difficulties with their health and employer.
Part-Time Workers
As a result of the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 part-time workers have a specific legal entitlement to be treated no less favourably than comparable full-time workers who undertake substantially the same kind of work within the business. When this does not happen, employees have the right to raise grievance and Employment Tribunal proceedings.