Contracts of Employment

The bits of Free Advice are:

  1. By law you have to issue new employees with a document called ‘Main Particulars of Employment’. That document has to contain certain minimum information about the individual’s contract of employment. It has to be issued within 2 months of them joining you
    Did you know that if you don’t then an Employment Tribunal can award 2-4 weeks pay in compensation?
    So, you need the right document issued at the right time
  2. Since October 2004 the Disciplinary, Grievance and Appeals procedures that apply to your employees’ contracts have to be in a statutory format.
    Did you know that if they aren’t then in some circumstances an Employment Tribunal has the power to increase an unfair dismissal award against the Employer by up to 50%?
    So, you need to review your current procedures and make sure they are in the statutory format
  3. Most employers think that ,on average, unfair dismissal cases are the most expensive type of award made against them by an Employment Tribunal
    Did you know that in 2004 the maximum and average awards were:

    Unfair Dismissal: £75,250, with the average being £7,303
    Sex Discrimination: £179,026, with the average at £14,158
    Disability Discrimination: £148,681 with the average at £17,736.
    Race Discrimination: £170,953, with the average at £19,114

    So, you need to make sure your systems and procedures protect you against these other very expensive claims 

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