THE SIMPLE LIFE
HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT LIFE AS AN EMPLOYER ABOUT TO GET EASIER?
Being an employer in the 21st century is far from simple. It can be a minefield, with the threat of employment tribunal proceedings looming around every corner. Ever increasing hoops to jump through and rules to comply with mean that the burden on a small or medium sized business is considerable. With each new piece of legislation new complications arise, and more time is spent away from the main focus of the business.
However, there may be light at the end of the tunnel. Among the bills announced by the Prime Minister on 11th July 2007 was the Employment Simplification Bill. The bill will aim to simplify among other things, the procedures relating to discliplinary and grievance (collectively known as the dispute resolution procedures) by replacing them with a simplified and more informal alternative….
The current procedures in force from October 2004 introduced the statutory grievance and discliplinary procedures in an effort to standardise procedures and encourage settlement of disputes within the workplace without recourse to the dreaded Employment Tribunal. Whilst the current procedures were well intentioned, many employers will be aware that they have brought their own complications. Some would say they have placed an unnecessary extra administrative burden on employers. The interpretation of some of the procedures has also been an issue, and it has not always been easy for the best-intentioned employers to know whether they have or have not complied with the procedures. This is a concern for employers because the current procedures impose financial penalties on them at Tribunal where the procedures have not been followed.
It is not known yet whether the Simplification Bill contains its own penalties, but it is proposed that the new measures will replace those currently in place. The aim is to encourage earlier and more informal resolution of disputes, ideally before they reach Employment Tribunal.
The bill is still only the government’s draft proposal and of course it remains to be seen whether this bill will actually “do what it says on the tin.” In the meantime the existing dispute resolution proposals will continue to apply. So how on earth do you ensure you are dealing with disciplinary problems and your employee’s grievances lawfully? One option is to let someone else do the worrying for you. At Sandersons, we can provide you with immediate, accessible and up to the minute advice and support, leaving you to manage the basic administrative aspects of being an employer, and to do what you do best … concentrating on making your business an even bigger success!
Our aim is to better understand you and your business, so that we can give you the best possible legal and practical advice to suit your individual circumstances.
If you need help and advice on any aspect of employment law including the above, please contact:
Stephen Dixon, Elaine Carson or Sarah Coates-Madden
Sandersons, Solicitors
17-19 Parliament Street
Hull, HU1 2BH
Tel: 01482 324662
e-mail : enquiries@sandersonssolicitors.co.uk
Source: The Federation of Small Businesses, September 2007