Employment Law Services for Businesses

Employment law services are a crucial area of legal practice, that assists Employers navigate the complex relationship between workforces and organisations. Whether you are reviewing employment contracts, addressing employee grievances/disciplinary procedures, or reviewing employment contracts, our specialist experts at AFG Law are here to support you.

Employment law is constantly evolving, particularly with shifting political landscapes and the fine balancing of rights between employers and employees, making it essential for businesses to stay informed about changing legislation—or partner with Solicitors who do. At AFG Law, we can ensure you stay at the forefront of employment law changes, and help you prevent or minimise workplace issues, saving you valuable time, money, and effort with our support services.

Working in close collaboration with our commercial teams, we also provide employment law advice on a wide range of boardroom strategies and matters.

Starting Out – Potential Employment Issues with Employees & Planning Ahead

The main method of avoiding employee disputes is effectively communicating policies, and ensuring employees are kept informed.  Whilst many policies may seem like common sense to an employer, it is best to have procedures in place and written out clearly (either in your contracts or company handbook) to ensure employees are kept well aware of policies and any changes.

The expert team at AFG Law can provide practical advice and solutions for everyday employment challenges, including:

• Sickness management: Supporting the management of employee sickness in line with legal requirements, setting out policies for reporting sickness and how to deal with long-term sickness issues.
• Time management: Flexible working has become an important issue to many staff, and it has become a legal right to request this from an employer.  But to employers it is important that their employees also work productively either at home or remotely, and it can often be an area of frustration on both sides when the arrangement does not work effectively.  We can advise on best practices/expectations, and also means of monitoring performance in an effective manner.
• Disciplinary procedures: Assisting in the implementation of fair, compliant and independent disciplinary processes, the thoroughness of which can be critical if it ever comes to defending a decision at any potential employment tribunal.
• Grievance procedures: Guiding employers through grievance handling to resolve disputes effectively.
• Protecting confidential business information: Safeguarding sensitive business data from misuse by employees or former employees, identifying what types of data are protected, and ensuring sufficient processes are in place to ensure compliance with GDPR.
• Boardroom disputes: Resolving conflicts at the executive level while protecting business interests, with further information available on Director and Shareholder Disputes.
• Performance management: Helping you manage and improve employee performance to meet business goals.
• Executive service agreements and terminations: Drafting and negotiating executive agreements, as well as overseeing amicable or legally sound terminations.

Reviewing or Creating Workplace Policies

Our team ensures your workplace policies are current, compliant, and tailored to your business needs, and that your Employee Contracts/Policies/Handbook thoroughly address issues relating to:

• Recruitment: Creating fair and effective hiring practices that avoid discriminatory behaviour and are designed to yield the best candidates from the recruitment process.
• Family-related rights: Advising on maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave policies, and advising on appropriate enhanced benefits if a company wishes to offer these, and stand out from their competitors to attract more talent to their business.
• Statutory sick pay: Ensuring compliance with legal obligations for employee sickness management, reporting of illness and payment of SSP where appropriate.
• Social media usage: Creating guidelines to manage employees’ social media activity responsibly, particularly around the use of mobile phones in an office environment, and protection of sensitive data in line with GDPR.
• Holiday entitlements: Clarifying rules and entitlements for paid leave, including complex scenarios like holiday accrual during sickness.

Defending Employment Claims Against your Business

Ultimately if an employee’s contract has to be terminated, they may wish to challenge the decision via an Employment Tribunal if they believe the reasons provided were unjust.  This is why the thoroughness of any disciplinary procedure is critical, and the outcomes reached are based on a fair and independent review process.

We provide representation for employers facing employment-related claims. We can help to ensure your business is protected and your legal rights are upheld. Our expertise includes:

• Employment tribunal claims: Offering strategic defence in tribunal proceedings to achieve the best possible outcome, including settlement agreements.
• Discrimination claims: Handling claims involving age, sex, race, religious, or disability discrimination with precision and sensitivity.
• Dismissal claims: Defending against wrongful or unfair dismissal claims to protect your business’s reputation and operations.
• Breach of contract: Addressing allegations of breached contractual terms to ensure compliance and limiting liability.
• Harassment claims: Managing claims involving harassment or victimisation in the workplace to maintain a positive and lawful work environment.

Redundancies and Restructures

As businesses grow, decisions unfortunately sometimes need to be made to restructure a company or make redundancies to ensure the ongoing profitability and viability of an organisation.

We provide tailored guidance and legal support for managing changes in your business structure, including:

• Redundancy processes: Assisting with legally compliant redundancy planning, consultation, and implementation, either through voluntary or mandatory processes.
• Business reorganisations/restructures: Ensuring smooth transitions during business changes while minimising legal risks.

Who do we Advise?

Whether you are an employer managing a large workforce or a senior executive seeking guidance on contractual negotiations, we are here to provide tailored employment law services. Our services are designed to align with your individual goals and business needs.

By offering professional solutions, we help you mitigate risks, maintain compliance, and foster a positive working environment.

With a client-focused approach, our team takes the time to understand your specific circumstances and objectives. We work together with you to achieve practical outcomes, ensuring that our advice is aligned with your business or professional priorities.

How can AFG Law Assist Your Business?

Our employment team specialises in offering expert independent advice, backed by years of valuable experience. We are committed to ensuring that every process runs seamlessly, whether it is an individual matter or ongoing support.

We pride ourselves on working in an open, respectful, and supportive manner with our clients and everyone we interact with. Upholding the highest professional standards, we provide essential legal advice for employers regarding business related matters.

If you would like to discuss your business needs or to find out more about our employment law services, please get in touch with our employment law experts today for free initial advice, or speak to one our expert team on 01204 377600.

Our team offers employment law services to clients in Bolton, Bury, Stockport, Greater Manchester and Cheshire.