Employment & HR for State Funded Schools
Over recent years, employment law has become increasingly wide-ranging and ever more complex. Employment law is subject to constant change through legislation, the courts’ interpretation and even ministerial diktat. Consequently we assist employers in taking a pro-active approach in managing their employees and the working environment.
Our specialist employment solicitors have extensive experience in all aspects of employment law as it relates to the maintained sector, and our advice is tailored to the particular needs of our clients. We know that what is “right” for commercial organisations is not necessarily “right” for educational institutions whose culture is often so different. However, our expertise in the commercial sector can be of significant value to our education clients.
- Contracts and terms of employment (including STPCD, the Burgundy Book and the Green Book);
- Disciplinary, grievance and capability procedures;
- Equal opportunities, including defending equal pay litigation;
- Working time rules and calculations;
- Part time and fixed term employees;
- Age, disability, race, sex, sexual orientation and religious discrimination;
- Dismissals, including advice on unfair, constructive, wrongful, and redundancy dismissals;
- TUPE and related issues;
- Pensions – occupational, personal and public sector, including Teachers’ Pensions and the LGPS;
- Restrictive covenants;
- Family friendly working issues;
- Settlement agreements;
- Human rights;
- Employment of non-EEA nationals;
- Appraisal systems;
- Whistle blowing;
- Representation at employment tribunals.
Unusually for a firm of solicitors we have HR Advisers within our employment team who are able to assist our clients on day to day HR issues, providing employment advice, as well as on specific projects. The distinct advantage of this is that you know our HR Advisers have the full support of our experienced employment lawyers. For further information, see our HR Consultants brochure. Our HR Consultants are also able to provide bespoke Workplace Mediation and Strategic HR services.
We also provide and Education Retainer service offering an employment law “hotline” facility for clients through an annual retainer basis with a website retainer area, as well as a thrice-yearly newsletter and a monthly e-mail bulletin highlighting all of the latest important developments in employment law.
