Most employees tend to contact an employment solicitor, either when their relationship with their employer has gone awry, or their employment has come to an end. Whilst this may seem the most logical time for an employee to contact a solicitor, employees would often be better served if they approached a solicitor for advice when matters started to go wrong, rather than when they may have passed a point of no return.
Employees who are proactive and actively seek advice to understand the situation they are in will be better equipped to properly navigate and try to manage the situation at hand. ‘Grasping the nettle’ at the beginning is ultimately not as painful in the long run. Taking advice early helps with both the employee’s mental, as well as physical preparation of addressing a disciplinary, redundancy situation or initiating a grievance. It helps the employee to more proactively and constructively deal with the situation, which in turn can also help to reduce the level of some of the stress and worry that they will be experiencing during that time.
Equally, employees should also look to use a solicitor when they may be negotiating terms or proposed changes to their employment, a bonus or benefits scheme. Employment solicitors can advise on and check the benefits of any proposed terms or changes to them and suggest additional terms or improvements not initially considered.
In essence then, an employee, at any time of doubt or decision about their employment, should always have need of an employment solicitor.
For further information please contact the Employment Law team.