About our employment services at Wright Hassall

OUR EMPLOYMENT TEAM

HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU EMPLOYMENT

The landscape of employment law is everchanging. We help clients to navigate this rapidly evolving area of law by providing upto-date legal advice, which is both costeffective and tailored to your specific needs. The success of any business is dependent on the relationship it has with its employees. Our employment law team recognises this and supports both employers and employees in managing the legal aspects of this relationship.

Our team advises clients both nationally and internationally on employment law governing England and Wales. We provide support through our annual retainer (YEAR) or on an hourly rate basis, depending on what suits your business.

Our team advise clients across a wide variety of industry sectors on taking a proactive approach to employment and HR matters within their business, including:

• Employment contracts

• Staff handbooks

• Managing performance (capability)

• Disciplinary processes

• Grievances

• Long and short-term sickness absence

• Discrimination

• Restrictive covenants

• Restructures and redundancies

• TUPE

• Tribunal claims

• Settlement agreements and negotiating exit packages

• Mediation

• Employment law and HR training

OUR CREDENTIALS

SOME EXAMPLES OF OUR EMPLOYMENT WORK…

We have a vast amount of experience across the team. Some recent examples that give an idea of the level of work we regularly undertake are:

• We were recently instructed by an employer who had received a Tribunal claim from an ex-employee in respect of unlawful deduction of wages and Unfair Dismissal. We agreed a commercial settlement with the ex-employee prior to needing to file a defence of the employer. The settlement sum was in fact similar to the compensation they would have been liable for in any event due to the absence of a contract, and therefore, considering the time and costs involved with the Tribunal process which were largely avoided, this was a very good outcome for the employer.

• We were instructed by a senior individual within a business who was subject to disciplinary proceedings and facing the possibility of a dismissal without notice. We successfully negotiated an exit agreement for our client who was facing the possibility of a dismissal without notice, but secured a £30k ex gratia payment, as well as payment in lieu of his notice period.

• We are in the process of advising a long-standing client on a potential TUPE matter following the termination of a 10-year contract for provision of services. The complexity of this matter is heightened due to the extensive TUPE indemnities that our client provided in the contract, which significantly increased the level of risk. We are helping our client navigate this process in the lowest possible risk way.

• We recently chaired an appeal against dismissal within which the former employee raised a number very serious allegations of discrimination, harassment, victimisation and bullying. We thoroughly investigated the allegations, which included holding several meetings with witnesses and subsequently drafted a comprehensive appeal outcome. Whilst we had to ensure impartiality in reaching the outcome, our client was very happy with the outcome and agreed with our findings.