Disability discrimination (business)

All employers, bar the armed forces, have a legal duty not to discriminate against employees or job applicants on the grounds of disability. This has been the case since October 2004 (prior... read more

I have a health and safety issue

Steps to follow If you’re worried that conditions at your workplace are a potential threat to your health and/ or safety, first of all explain your concerns to your employer, or... read more

Overview of sex discrimination

The Equality Act 2010 outlaws discrimination in the workplace on the grounds of sex, marital status, civil partnership status and gender reassignment. It covers: recruitment and... read more

I want to start a company

Steps to follow Start small, think big. Keep your expenses as low as possible, but leave yourself scope to expand. On the other hand, don’t choke off possible growth by scrimping on... read more

I am being bullied, I am a victim of discrimination (employees)

Steps to follow Bullying in the workplace is where someone tries to intimidate another worker. It is defined by Acas as “Offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour,... read more

I am being bullied

Steps to follow If you’re being bullied, your first move – if you feel able to - should be to talk to the bully and tell them, in a calm and controlled manner, that you find... read more

I need help with a contract

Steps to follow A contract is an agreement between two or more persons, which gives rise to obligations that are enforceable by law. Has an offer been made? In legal parlance, an... read more

Dividing property on divorce

When a marriage breaks down, one of the main bones of contention will be deciding how the assets of you and your partner will be divided. Contrary to popular belief, a couple’s... read more

I have a health and safety issue

Steps to follow Employers have a duty of care to their workers and to visitors to their premises. Their duty extends to providing a safe place to work, preventing risks to health,... read more

Workplace bullying

Acas defines workplace bullying as: “Offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate... read more

Overview of sex discrimination in employment

Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (SDA 1975), it is illegal for your employer, or a prospective employer, to discriminate against you because of your gender, your marital status or... read more

Parking tickets

Millions of parking tickets are issued in the UK each year, presenting a valuable revenue-gathering opportunity for local authorities. The reason for the huge amount of these... read more

Welcoming a child

There are laws specifically designed to protect prospective or new parents and there are a range of benefits and allowances that you are entitled to as well. Pregnant employees If... read more

I want a pre-nuptial agreement

Steps to follow Are you planning to get married or to enter into a civil partnership but want to protect some of your assets if everything should go wrong? Or is there a significant... read more

Problems with goods and services

Goods  All consumers have rights when they buy faulty goods from someone acting in the course of trade, although the type of rights you have may depend on what you bought and how... read more

What documents do I need when meeting a lawyer?

You want to ensure that your first meeting with your solicitor is as useful as possible. To ensure your solicitor thoroughly understands your problem and can provide you with proper legal... read more

Overview of the minimum wage

National Minimum Wage rates Since April 1999 most workers in the UK have been legally entitled to a minimum wage. The national minimum wage (NMW) rates are set based on recommendations... read more

What to consider when selecting a lawyer

There are several points to think about when choosing a lawyer, and the most important one is to select a lawyer with experience in the right area of law. Solicitors are usually highly... read more

Overview of pay (pay rises, pay cuts, notice pay, etc.)

Your employer should tell you when you start work how much you will be paid, how it will be paid to you and when. This must be put in writing within two months of you starting... read more

I want to close a company

Steps to follow Make sure you tell all the relevant people. The bigger a business you have, the more people you will have to inform before you close. If you are a company or limited... read more

Overview of retirement

Retirement Age You can retire at any age you want – as long as you can afford it – but the default retirement age in the UK is 65. When you reach this age your employer can... read more

I want to hire an employee, I want to fire an employee, I am being made redundant, I have been fired

Steps to follow Have you been fired following a certain number of warnings? Or fired on the spot? You can only be fired for a first offence if there has been gross misconduct. This... read more

Termination of employment contracts

If you or your employer wants to terminate your employment, your employment contract will usually set out how much notice one must give the other before you leave. This may be more generous... read more

An employee has committed a criminal offence

Steps to follow Do you genuinely believe on reasonable grounds that the employee committed the offence? This is the test that a tribunal will apply if you dismiss the employee and the... read more

Making staff redundant

There are many reasons why you may need to make staff redundant including closure or relocation of your company, a need to cut costs by reducing headcount or simply because some posts... read more

Can I cut the pay of my staff?

In harsh economic times, most companies start to examine how they can cut costs and save cash, with eyes almost inevitably turning to the company’s employee wage bill which will... read more

Overview of employment rights (business)

As an employer in a UK company you have a number of duties and obligations to the people working for you under employment legislation. The duties you have depend largely on what category... read more

Choosing an employment lawyer

Employment Law If your dream job is turning into a nightmare, or your ‘perfect’ employee is wreaking havoc in the workplace, then you may need the help of an employment... read more

What is redundancy?

If your employers are considering making you redundant – which will result in the termination of your employment – they have a duty to treat you fairly and there are number of... read more

Age discrimination (personal)

Since 1 October 2006, age discrimination in the workplace has been banned, meaning employees are legally protected from discrimination on the basis of their age, just as they are from sex... read more

I have an employment issue

Steps to follow Are you an employee? Your employment status determines what rights you have. If you are paid a salary, do the work personally (rather than sub-contract it out), if your... read more

Overview of employment rights (personal)

Employees and workers in the UK enjoy a number of employment rights by law. You are classed as an employee if you are a working under a contract of employment. Employment... read more

What constitutes gross misconduct?

If you have done something at work which is so damaging to your employer’s business or organisation that it amounts to “gross misconduct”, your employer can dismiss you... read more

Gross misconduct or being fired

Gross misconduct or being fired Gross misconduct is behaviour in the workplace which is so serious that it warrants dismissal for a first offence without... read more