Corporate & Commercial

Well in a nutshell:

Firstly, the employee should raise the grievance in writing.

The employer should hold a meeting and investigate the complaint. At the meeting the employee is legally entitled to be accompanied by a fellow work colleague or a trade union representative if they are a member of a union.

The employee should be given sufficient time to discuss the nature of their grievance, and if appropriate the meeting should be adjourned for further investigations to take place.

After the grievance has been fully investigated a further meeting should be held to enable the employer to communicate its decision; this should also be followed up in writing. If the employee remains unhappy, they have a right of appeal.

All employees, regardless of the number of hours they work per week, are entitled to receive a written statement detailing the terms and conditions of employment from their employer, within two months of starting work.

Contracts although, go far beyond the legal necessity, they provide protection and peace of mind to all parties so everyone knows where they stand.

Redundancy pay is calculated based on the employees length of service and age. The length of service is capped at 20 years. 

The employee is entitled to:

• 1.5 weeks pay for each full year of employment after their 41st birthday
• a weeks pay for each full year of employment after their 22nd birthday
• half a weeks pay for each full year of employment up to their 22nd birthday

Courts and Tribunals have long recognised the rights and needs of a business to reorganise and restructure. Such reorganisation could include a reduction in staff, changes to terms and conditions, or perhaps a change in the way an item is produced.

If an employee refuses to go along with a business reorganisation then in certain circumstances an employee can be fairly dismissed.

Find out more by visiting our frequently asked questions or get in touch with a specialist employment lawyer today.