Employment Law

Employment law gives all UK workers a wide range of rights and entitlements in relation to their jobs. This covers everything from how redundancy, dismissal or disciplinaries should be handled, to wages, working hours, sickness, holidays and time off work.

Problems at work as a result of your rights being denied can be extremely emotive and stressful, leaving many employees who are unfairly treated feeling frustrated and powerless.

We provide specialist legal support on all employment law matters whether you are an employee, manager, director or shareholder.

Many clients come to us feeling isolated as they struggle to deal with difficult situations at work. It is a weight off their mind to hand the problem over to our experienced team, knowing that this will maximise their chance of a successful outcome.

If you feel that you are being treated unfairly at work, if you have been offered a settlement agreement or if you are facing redundancy and want to make sure you get the best possible deal, give us a call to see how we can help.

Laura Franklin
Employment Associate

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Our specialist employment law solicitors provide support and advice tailored to your needs. We are highly experienced and responsive and are ready to support you on all aspects of employment law, protecting your career and financial interests.

Settlement agreements

Formerly known as a compromise agreement, settlement agreements are used to bring your employment to an end on mutually agreed terms. They often involve payment of a sum of ‘compensation’ by your employer, on the basis that you won’t bring any claims against them.

The agreement is a way to draw a line under everything that has gone before and for you and your employer to move on. Think before you sign though as there is no going back once you have accepted a settlement agreement.

Without independent legal advice the agreement will not be binding, so do come to speak to us for jargon-free advice. Employers often pay for, or contribute to, the cost of your legal advice, so there may be no cost to you.

Five Top Tips on Settlement Agreements

1. Without independent legal advice the agreement will not be binding.
2. The payment you receive may be subject to tax; normally the first £30k is tax free.
3. Don’t tell everyone about your agreement. It is almost always a term of the agreement that you don’t discuss the existence of it, never mind the terms themselves.
4. If you believe you have a claim against your employer, really think before you sign, there is no going back.
5. Employers often pay for, or contribute to the costs for your legal advice – so there is no cost to you.

Reviewing and drafting employment contracts and consultancy agreements

Have you been offered a contract of employment or consultancy agreement?

It is crucial that you understand and are happy with the terms and conditions on offer. At Beswicks Legal we can review employment contracts or consultancy agreements on your behalf, helping you to negotiate any changes should your position need improvement.

We also advise on proposed amendments to existing contracts and provide legal representation if your contract has been breached.

Post-termination restrictions

Post-termination restrictions (sometimes known as restrictive covenants) prevent you from undertaking certain activities once you have left your employer.

Designed to protect the interests of businesses, restrictive covenants are typically imposed on senior employees and those with access to sensitive information or relationships. However, restrictive covenants can be a legal minefield and unless carefully drafted, may not be legally binding.

If you are unhappy about the restraints placed on you post-termination, we can advise on whether they are valid, and whether they are likely to be upheld. We can also support and represent you if you are being pursued over a breach of restrictive covenant.

Director duties

Being a director brings with it more duties and legal obligations than people expect. Breach of these duties can have serious repercussions including payment of fines and damages.

At Beswicks Legal we can advise you on your duties, liabilities and the general practical implications prior to, during and after your appointment.

Boardroom, shareholder and professional partnership disputes

When it comes to disputes prevention is always better than cure. We can work with you to make sure the necessary agreements and structures are in place to prevent disputes from occurring.

If a dispute does arise, we can provide practical, commercially sensitive legal advice from negotiation to litigation to protect your business.

Fees

We offer fixed fee services or bespoke quotes can be arranged for negotiations or representation. View our employment tribunal range of costs.