Employment law

From pay, hours and time off to discipline, grievance and hiring and firing employees, find out about your legal responsibilities as an employer.

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

Sometimes it may be necessary to dismiss a member of staff or make them redundant. Following the right procedures helps protect your business and minimises the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. Read our introduction to the employment tribunal process.

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

Establishing a successful recruitment process and clear written employment contracts for new hires can have a major impact on your business.

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

Introduction to maternity, paternity and adoption leave and pay and Shared Parental Leave - how much time off and pay is available and who qualifies.

Answers to frequently asked questions on disciplining employees, including grounds for disciplinary action and what to do in specific circumstances.

Want to know your obligations when it comes to equal pay for your employees, including disputes and tricky issues? Read our useful FAQs.

Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, poor performance, low morale and wasted time. Learn to communicate well with employees.

An email policy sets out how employees can use email and any monitoring you intend to do. Here's how to formulate a clear policy.

A well-thought-out internet policy can stop employees wasting time online, downloading viruses and endangering data security. How to introduce one.

Employers guide to defending an employment tribunal claim, the tribunal hearing process and possible employment tribunal decisions, settlement agreements and awards.

Our guide to setting up good procedures that let you deal with disciplinary and grievance issues consistently and fairly.

How to draw up a legally-binding employment contract between employer and employee, covering key terms and conditions including pay and leave.

A good pension scheme can be an invaluable benefit for attracting and retaining key senior staff. Our guide to the options available.

It's essential to get your remuneration packages right to attract and retain reliable employees with the skills your business needs. Our guide.

Discriminating against employees on any grounds other than their ability to do the job is a bad idea. Our guide to workplace discrimination.

Working time regulations safeguard employee health and safety. Our guide to holidays, breaks, night work and other working time employee rights.

Almost all workers are entitled to certain statutory and minimum pay rates. Check what rates of pay your employees are entitled to.

Read our frequently asked questions about making employees redundant, including what procedures to follow and alternatives to consider.

Frequently asked questions on your responsibilities towards travelling and remote workers, and the rights they have to act on behalf of your business.

A shift in the economic climate, merger or move to a new location can all make redundancies inevitable. Our overview of how to manage redundancies.

It is unlawful for an employer to discriminate on grounds of age when recruiting, promoting, training or providing any other benefit to employees.

Frequently asked questions on workplace discrimination, including your responsibilities to treat people equally and make reasonable adjustments.

FAQs on dismissing employees, including disciplinary procedures and what to do about claims of constructive or wrongful dismissal.

Facing an employment tribunal claim can be stressful and expensive. Find out answers to some of your frequently asked questions.

What you need to do to avoid an equal pay claim and make sure your pay scheme is equal and fair for women and men

FAQs about flexible working, including employee rights to request flexible working and your obligations when it comes to granting requests.

FAQs on your responsibilities to inform and consult with employees when you make business changes, if you have more than 50 employees.

Frequently asked questions about how to manage pregnant employees in the workplace, and employee rights to maternity leave and pay

20 FAQs people ask about the minimum wage - from the current rate to who is entitled and what hours, benefits and payments qualify.

You have to give serious consideration to requests from your employees to move to flexible working patterns - this GOV.UK guide details the rules.

Disability discrimination: key points for the workplace - up to date guidance on what it is, ensuring you fulfil obligations, handling complaints

How to avoid illegal age discrimination in the workplace, including possible issues with both younger and older employees - read our helpful FAQs

CSOPs can be set up by any independent company, irrespective of size, and can provide benefits to all employees, or selected employees only.

Always take advice before dismissing employees. They could bring one or a combination of three claims against you if you handle the dismissal badly.

EMI schemes are designed to help small, higher risk companies recruit and retain employees by offering them tax-beneficial share options.

Most employees have the right to apply to you to work flexibly, provided that they have worked for you for at least 26 continuous weeks.

Employers granting one flexible working request but not another need to beware of discrimination claims. Find out how to avoid the pitfalls.

Giving references - answers to common questions about what references you must give employees and the possible consequences

You must comply with legal requirements on employees' working hours. Giving employees fair holidays and pay can also help to improve performance.

Answers to frequently asked questions about holiday issues including the rights of part-time workers and when you can refuse to grant leave.

You need to make sure you safeguard employees who work alone - here are the key steps to take to keep them safe, and keep you legal.

If you have employees that regularly work alone, or outside of normal working hours, you have responsibility for their health, safety and welfare. 

If you need to cut costs, you don’t always need to make redundancies. We list some ways you can cut your costs, not your workforce.

Information on rates of maternity, paternity and adoption pay, how much leave new parents are entitled to and how shared parental leave works

Any employee with at least one year’s service is entitled to take up to 18 weeks’ unpaid leave per child for the purpose of caring for that child.

In savings-related share option schemes, employees are granted options over ordinary shares in the company’s share capital, to be exercised later.

When you take on a new member of staff, there are an initial six tasks you need to carry out to ensure you comply with the law.

Employee share schemes can help you recruit, retain and incentivise employees by giving them a direct financial interest in the company's success.

From reclaiming your business' property to ensuring your confidential information is kept secret, you must make sure that everything you do is legal.

Our step-by step guide to inducting new employees into your business, providing everything they need and helping them feel settled.

If your employees want to file a grievance, there should be a fair and clear way to do this. Read our tips on setting up a grievance procedure.

Not sure how to go about holding a fair and lawful disciplinary hearing when an employee has breached workplace rules? Follow our step-by-step guide.

You need to have clear rules outlining what will happen if employees commit an offence in the workplace. Our checklist tells you what to include.

Find out about employee rights and responsibilities concerning getting to work during bad weather or transport strikes

Full-time employees are entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday each year. Part-time workers are entitled to holiday on a pro rata basis.