Employment Law
Employment Law
Employment Law
Employment Law
With employment issues often requiring immediate attention to prevent them from escalating, the value of having a trusted employment law partner you can turn to for advice and practical solutions is not to be underestimated.
Our employment law team in Stoke-on-Trent is highly rated for speed of response and quality of advice. We operate as a genuine extension of your team, with our expert employment solicitors providing guidance when you need it most – something that clients tell us gives them great peace of mind.
We support a broad range of commercial clients and are switched on to their needs, taking time to get to know your business.
Of course, the best way to make sure you are on firm ground should an employment issue arise is to make sure your employment contracts, policies and procedures are up-to-date, reducing the likelihood of damage and costly litigation. We can create or review policies and have a number of fixed fee online legal services available for you to use.
If you’re grappling with an employment issue of any kind, get in touch. I’d be delighted to help.
Laura Franklin
Senior Employment Associate
Book an appointment online
Make an appointment with one of our specialists using our online booking system
Talk to us about:
- Beswicks HR
- Employment tribunal representation
- Settlement agreements
- Employment contracts and policies
- Redundancy and business reorganisations
- Post-termination restrictions/restrictive covenants
- Disciplinary/grievance proceedings
- Director, shareholder and professional partnership/ LLP disputes
If you would like to find out more about how our employment solicitors can help you, contact us today for advice tailored to your business.
Beswicks HR
We offer a fixed-fee HR and employment law support service to employers called Beswicks HR.
Beswicks HR provides unlimited access to qualified employment solicitors in who are available to advise on employment queries whenever you need them.
With unlimited guidance, quick responses and regular catch-ups, our lawyers work as an extension of your team, getting to know your business.
Employment tribunal representation
Even with the very best employment procedures and processes in place, disputes do still happen, sometimes making an employment tribunal unavoidable.
If one of your employees has decided to pursue an employment tribunal claim against your business, we have the expertise and skills needed to successfully represent you at the hearing.
We make sure you are aware of the various options available to you, protect your commercial interests at all times and continually reviewing the likely chance of success. View our employment tribunal range of costs.
Settlement agreements
Settlement agreements are used to end an employment relationship on agreed terms. Helping employers and employees to make a clean break, they usually result in you making a severance payment to an employee in return for their agreement not to pursue a claim against your business.
While settlement agreements are a powerful business tool, they need to be carefully drafted, as without proper legal advice, the contract will not be legally binding. Talk to our experts for advice on negotiating and drafting settlement agreements for employers and employees.
Employment contracts and policies
Having the right employment policies and contracts in place is critical to guard against the risk of potentially costly employment disputes.
Contracts should permit certain variations, restrict employees’ activities post-termination, protect confidential information and allow employers to deduct money where appropriate.
This is a regularly changing area of law, so it is important to review your contracts and documentation to make sure your business is up-to-date and legally compliant. Call us for a chat if you would like help reviewing your contracts and policies.
Redundancy and business reorganisations
The redundancy/reorganisation process can be difficult and emotionally challenging for employers as well as employees. It is vital that, as an employer, you receive expert legal advice to ensure you adhere to the proper procedures. Failure to follow these procedures could result in unfair dismissal claims.
Our employment solicitors can provide the advice and support your business needs to remain legally compliant, protecting your organisation and your bottom line. Call for a chat if you would like to discuss a new or current redundancy process or restructure.
Post-termination restrictions and confidentiality
Restrictive covenants place post-termination restrictions on employees preventing them from undertaking certain activities once they’ve left your business. Typically imposed on senior employees, and those with access to sensitive information or relationships, restrictive covenants may not be upheld by the courts unless carefully drafted.
We can help to protect your commercial interests ensuring that the restrictive covenants placed on your employees are both ‘legitimate’ and ‘reasonable’. We also support and represent employers who believe an employee has breached a post-termination restriction placed on them.
Managing disciplinary and grievance proceedings
If your business is facing a grievance claim, or if you need to take disciplinary proceedings against an employee, you may need help to understand the necessary procedures.
Disciplinary and grievance situations can be stressful and unpleasant experiences, and are best handled when you have prepared well and are confident about your obligations and rights as an employer.
We provide straightforward advice and support to best protect your commercial interests, now and in the future, using our extensive know-how and experience to guide you through the process, making sure you always understand the options available to you. We can even provide on-site support and chair the hearing should that be necessary.
Director, shareholder and professional partnership/LLP disputes
Shareholder and internal company disputes can be damaging to everyone involved. With disagreements often leading to the dissolution of a company, or certain parties having to leave the business, it is vital to minimise the risk and impact of any disputes as quickly as possible.
From negotiation to litigation, we provide expert, practical, commercially-sensitive legal advice and support to protect your business and your investment.
We also work with you to help ensure the necessary agreements and structures are in place to prevent such disputes from occurring in the first place.
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Your questions... answered
How much notice do I have to give to an employee?
The statutory notice obligations on employers are: nothing in the first mo
If an employee doesn’t want to transfer under TUPE, do they have to stay with the outgoing employer?
If staff genuinely object to the TUPE transfer, they are technically resign
How do I create a settlement agreement?
Settlement agreements are used to end an employment relationship on agreed
I have a few employees who repeatedly use social media during work hours, what can I do about this?
There are a number of options available if employees are using social medi