Practical employment law information to support your business, from Clover HR

Recruitment and employment contracts

Establishing a successful recruitment process and clear written employment contracts for new employees can have a major impact on your business.

Pay and pensions

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

Working time: hours, leave, flexible working

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

Employment policies

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

Sickness and sick pay

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

Maternity, paternity and adoption

Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.

Discrimination

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Managing home workers, remote workers, lone workers

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

Information and consultation

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

Discipline and grievance

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Dismissals and redundancies

Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Employment tribunals

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.

Setting up a grievance procedure - checklist

If your employees want to file a grievance, there should be a fair and clear way to do this. Read our tips on setting up a grievance procedure.

Produce a simple, written procedure for employees - written complaint, face-to-face interview, appeal - this should comply with the Acas Code of Practice.
Give the name or job title of the person employees should contact in the case of a grievance in the written terms of employment.
Encourage employees to handle grievances informally - without triggering your formal grievance procedure if possible - but to take them further if necessary.
Tell employees they must present a written grievance to their immediate supervisor as the first step of a formal complaint.
Arrange a face-to-face meeting to discuss the complaint in every case. Allow the employee at least three working days' notice to prepare their case.
Ensure you respond to any grievance in writing where it is not possible to meet the employee face-to-face (for example, where the employee has already left).
Stress the importance of addressing grievances and trying to analyse the root cause of apparently trivial grievances.
Decide whether you want to involve an external adviser or body, such as Acas, for grievances which cannot be handled internally.
Set rules for handling special cases: for example, if the grievance relates to the supervisor, or is particularly sensitive (eg discrimination).
Establish a procedure for addressing collective grievances (eg through a recognised trade union).
Set a time limit for producing a written response to any grievance.
Provide for confidential interviews, if necessary, particularly where grievances relate to other employees. Clarify the right to be accompanied to the interview (eg by a union representative).
If grievances arise in connection with a disciplinary issue, hear them as part of the disciplinary appeal; otherwise keep disciplining separate.
Encourage employees to raise legitimate grievances; reassure them that it will be kept confidential and that they will not be victimised as a result.
Train managers to discuss grievances openly, calmly and fairly, and to make considered decisions.
Explain that the employee has the right to appeal; if possible, any appeal should be heard by someone senior who has not been involved in the initial hearing.
Keep simple, confidential records.