Setting up a business is never an easy task. From coming up with a viable business plan to securing funding and getting your business on its feet, there are so many elements to think about and juggle. Even when your business is up and running and starting to see some success, the work doesn’t just stop there. Being an entrepreneur can become even harder when you start to employ your own staff as although this is a great sign of progression, it does mean that you have added responsibilities and a duty of care. If you are starting to expand your company and taking on employees, it is always a good idea to hire the services of an employment law solicitor. Keep reading to find out why and how an employment law solicitor can benefit your business and protect you and your employees.
Help you comply with employment laws
One of the most obvious benefits of using an employment law solicitor is the fact that they can help you to comply with employment laws in your country. You should choose a solicitor who specialises in employment law as they will be an expert in this field and can keep you up to date with any changes or new regulations. As an employer, you will also need to be registered as an official employer with the government so that you can operate legally and again an employment solicitor can guide you on the forms you will need to complete as well as the information to include. You must guarantee certain things for your employees and again your legal advisor can make sure nothing is missed. In Scotland, employees have the right to safe working conditions, adequate breaks and things like parental/annual leave too.
Create and look over contracts
Creating and looking over contracts is a big part of the hiring process and something that you as an employer will have to go through time and time again, especially if you are trying to expand. Your employment law expert will be able to create and look over any contracts for your future hires.
Contracts should include things like:
- Job description
- Compensation and benefits
- Leave policies
- Employee classification
- Employment period
Including all these details means that new employees should know exactly what to expect and this will also protect you as an employer if a staff member fails to comply with something that have agreed to. Any employee contract is legally binding so it is incredibly important that you adhere to government requirements and stay on the right side of the law in terms of employee rights.
Protect you and employees
Your solicitor will make sure not only you as an employer are protected but also your employees themselves. Your employment law advisor will be there to guide both employer and employee in cases of conflict which may have arisen from termination of a contract, discrimination or a contract being broken in some way. A solicitor could help to be an unbiased party to resolve issues that may simply be a misunderstanding or deal with more serious cases that need to be taken to an employment tribunal. Having an employment lawyer may also make your employees feel more comfortable as they have a third party to go to with any issues without fear of judgement.
Provide representation in negotiations
Sometimes the process of hiring can be made a little more complicated by negotiations between the candidate and the business. For example, you may have a very experienced candidate who has requested a higher salary and so your solicitor can help you when it comes to negotiating and providing legal guidance before and after.
Help in growing your business
As your business hopefully scales and grows, it is a good idea to keep your solicitor on board throughout and beyond the changes. If for example, your employees’ roles change, they can keep job descriptions and contracts up to date and help advise you if your business’ growth will be a conflict with any employment regulations. They will make such transitions and updates much smoother so that you as a business owner can worry about your next steps and what is important.
As you can see, having an employment law expert by your side as your business grows will help keep you right and protect both the company’s interests and employee rights. If this has got you thinking about using the services of an employment law solicitor, get in touch with our employment and HR experts today.
