Employment law; it’s something we talk about. It’s what our business, and so many others, are based upon. But what do we actually mean when we talk about employment law? Essentially, employment law covers the entire relationship between an employer and an employee. Employment law governs what employers are allowed to expect from employees, what employers can expect employees to do and the rights of work for employees. It exists to ensure a fair and safe working environment for employers and employees.
A sound understanding of employment law is vital for any manager so they are providing an optimal working environment for their employees. Moreover, failure to comply can be costly; resulting in hefty fines or even custodial sentences. Managers play an important role in employee relations as they are responsible for overseeing individual teams. For this reason, it is essential that they have a thorough understanding of the law, employee rights and how to implement them effectively. In this post, we explore Employment Law Training Advice for Businesses and Managers.
Employment law in the UK is complex. Individuals can be classed as employees, workers or independent contractors. Whilst independent contractors have no employment rights, workers are offered some, but not all, of the same protections as employees. On the whole, individuals are normally deemed employees and therefore entitled to full employment rights. However, employees need at least 2 years’ continuous employment before they can claim unfair dismissal. See our post on employee rights after two years for further information.
In the last month alone, there have been 4 changes to UK employment law, including new minimum wage and weekly redundancy pay rates and an update to IR35.
In 2020, Many employment-related proposals due to be considered or brought into force were delayed as a result of Covid-19, meaning there are set to be many changes over the coming months. One of the key changes to look out for is the Pregnancy and Maternity (Redundancy) Bill 2019-21. If it is brought into force, which we expect will be around the end of 2021, it will extend protections for employees at risk of redundancy.
The point is, employment law is constantly changing, which is why Davenport Solicitors provide employers with employment law training on various topics, to assist them in keeping up to date with the ever-changing employment laws and procedures. Besides expanding the knowledge base of your senior team, employment law training enables you to identify and mitigate potential issues in the workplace and empowers you to run your business smoothly. Find out more here.
If you want to create a better workplace culture, including line managers in your HR training and educating them about employment law is a great place to start. That is not to say that line managers need to become experts in the more technical aspects of employment law – that’s why your HR department exists. However, they do need a basic understanding of what they can and can’t do in order to operate, or at least start off, their organisation’s HR procedures. If you need further assistance with HR within your business, take a look at the HR Support Packages Davenport Solicitors offer.
We’d suggest that the HR training for managers should focus on practical application of the relevant employment laws as opposed to just a sharing of knowledge. Anyone can read a policy, but it is the practical application that really tests whether a manager has a clear understanding of the key principles.
Ultimately, successful companies invest in their workforce to get maximum return.
Engaged workers are more productive, and investing in them can result in higher retention rates and a reduction in staff turnover.
As mentioned earlier in the post, employment law is incredibly complex and constantly changing. Employment Law training exists to help you understand how said laws apply to you. It is likely to expand the knowledge base of your senior team. Employment law training enables you to identify and mitigate potential issues in the workplace and empowers you to run your business smoothly. With the aim of training employers to protect their business from potential employment tribunal claims, Davenport Solicitors offers a range of thought-provoking, interactive and practical employment law training sessions, including:
Whether you are the director of your company or a senior manager, our in-house training sessions will keep you updated about the latest employment law developments and help you implement a healthy HR practice. This, in turn, will help you to safeguard your business from employment tribunal claims.
If you would like to learn more about how Davenport Solicitors can support your business with training, or advice with employment law or HR, we welcome you to contact us, email contact@davenportsolicitors.com or give our experts a call on 02079 036888.
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