If an employee whose contract has been recently terminated makes a claim for unfair dismissal, our solicitors can advise the best course of action.
Making redundancies is never an easy time for employers and a claim of unfair dismissal is the last thing any business wants to face.
Not only can it be time-consuming, it can result in costly financial pay-outs. According to government figures, in 2017 there were 11,370 cases of unfair dismissal raised.
First4Lawyers can assist you in meeting the requirements of UK employment law, or help you build a defence if you have been accused of unfair dismissal.
There is a large number of circumstances in which the dismissal of an employee is automatically viewed as unfair under UK employment law.
Any employee who has been in your employment for at least two years can make a claim for unfair dismissal, if they believe they have been laid off without a fair and reasonable dismissal procedure and a valid reason for their release.
The Employment Rights Act 1996 contains most of the provisions that govern unfair dismissal.
If you are found to have unfairly dismissed an employee, an employment tribunal can order you to re-employ them, or pay compensation for the unfair dismissal.
The basic award a court can order is up to £14,670. They may then make a large compensatory award to cover losses up to £80,541 - or 52 weeks gross salary - whichever is lower. You would also probably have to cover the court fees.
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Expert legal services for your business needs - whether it's employment law, policies or commercial property, we can help.
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Taking advice from employment law solicitors can help you to ensure that your dismissal and redundancy process is fully compliant with the law.
They will assess your consultation process when making redundancies and dismissals to ensure it is appropriate and that it upholds certain responsibilities regarding your former employees’ future job prospects.
Your redundancy process must take into account whether other suitable jobs within the business were available for people who are being made redundant. If that was the case and you failed to offer one to that person, you could be taken to an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal.
The law prevents employers from dismissing employees or making people redundant on the basis of their age, disability, gender, marriage status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
It is always highly advisable to have processes in place to prevent discrimination if you have to dismiss someone. That's something First4Lawyers can also help with.
If you have received a claim for unfair dismissal, you will be required to attend an employment tribunal.
Our employment law solicitors can assess your case, build the strongest possible defence and represent you at the tribunal itself.
If you require assistance or representation, or if you would simply like to discuss the way that employment law affects your current business circumstances, get in touch with our legal advisors, who will happy to review your requirements.
