News & Insights
Compnaies urged to tidy up employment contracts to avoid costly legal disputes
Latimer Hinks, one of the North Easts leading law firms, is urging businesses to use the New Year as an opportunity to tidy up their employment contracts to avoid common personnel-related legal pitfalls in 2013.
The Darlington-based law firm is encouraging businesses, particularly new and recent start-ups that are considering taking on new staff, to follow some basic rules to avoid disputes about contractual agreements. Businesses are encouraged to put everything in writing and to seek legal advice to ensure that they stay on the right track legally with their employment obligations.
Nick Poole, a partner at Latimer Hinks, commented: “Employers need to have some base knowledge of contract law. An employer makes an offer of employment, the prospective employee accepts and there is then in place a binding contract of employment. However, what if the employer then takes up references which are not satisfactory? Also, where does the employer stand if the employee subsequently refuses to sign or acknowledge the employers employment documents?
Employers are of course legally obliged to provide any employee who has worked one month or more with a written statement, containing terms and conditions of employment, within two months of starting work. This is not required for contractors or those with self-employed or freelance status.”
