Employment law is a broad area of law that governs the relationship between employers and employees. It encompasses a range of legal issues, such as workplace discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour disputes, and employee benefits, among others. Employment laws aim to protect both the rights and interests of employees and employers.

Employment law is complex and any mistakes you make when signing contracts or attempting to dispute your employer can have far-reaching and expensive consequences. By working with an expert solicitor, you can be confident that you have the backing of legal experts. At JMW, our team is award-winning and has won many dispute cases over the decades that we have been operating. Our solicitors have a deep understanding of the employment law process due to our time in the industry and our close monitoring of the UK laws.

You should speak to our team today for expert legal advice on employment law.

The recruitment process is lengthy and comes with many pitfalls. To ensure that you are not being taken advantage of, you should assess your employment contract to ensure it matches the job that you applied for, and the responsibilities that were highlighted to you during your initial discussions with the employer. If there are any terms you are confused about, either ask the recruiter or employer for clarification, or speak to us.

When assessing your contract, you should make sure the following aspects match up to what you agreed on:

• Your salary
• Your working hours
• Any bonuses that were promised
• Your holiday allowance
• Your job title
• Your responsibilities

It is essential that you read your employment contract closely as, regardless of what was said previously, this document will officiate the details of your job role, and signing it will hold you to legal obligations.

If you have already signed your employment contract and are concerned that something is amiss or that you have been led on, speak to our team as soon as possible and we will help you to understand whether anything can be done.

Every employment law case is different. Depending on whether you need advice on a specific aspect of your employment, or whether you need help dealing with a dispute against your employer, you can expect your case to take a different length of time and, therefore, come with a different legal fee.

If you hold a home insurance policy, you should check to see whether it includes cover for legal fees for employment disputes.

For more information, call our team today. We will hold an initial no-obligation consultation to understand your situation and provide you with an estimate on how much our fixed-fee service is likely to cost you. If you are aiming to claim compensation, we will also advise you on the value of any settlement agreements you may be entitled to.

JMW Solicitors is based in the UK and has two offices - one based in Manchester and one based in London. This allows us easy access to the whole country, meaning we can support you no matter where you are located in the UK.

In many cases, employment disputes can be dealt with without the need for court proceedings. To have the best chance of this, we will need to form the strongest argument for your case as possible, so when we approach the other party, they will be able to quickly understand that the odds are in your favour. We will always prioritise this approach as it will help to avoid time-consuming legal proceedings and minimise stress for you.

Often, your employer may agree to mediation, during which we will hold sessions to come to an agreement on what the outcome should be.

It is also in your employer's interest to avoid court proceedings and deal with disputes as efficiently and confidentially as possible, so they will likely agree to this.

However, in some cases, court proceedings may be necessary. Unlike other claims, employment law proceedings go through the Employment Tribunal rather than the Magistrates’ Court. It is most likely that you will not be required to attend the employment tribunal. However, if your case becomes especially difficult, you may be required to appear to present evidence to support your argument.

Employment Tribunal proceedings can take a long time - an average of 27 weeks. Employers are typically aware of this, and will often take steps to settle outside of court. We can help to facilitate these proceedings by holding mediation sessions with the other party. We always prioritise settling out of court, but will fight in your corner by proceeding with the Tribunal if we believe your employer is not offering you everything you deserve.

Wrongful or unfair dismissal occurs when an employer ends an employee's contract against the terms agreed to by both parties - in practical terms: when you are fired unfairly.

If your employment is terminated and you feel it was done so unfairly, you may be able to make an unfair dismissal claim for compensation or to retain your job. Speak to our employment lawyers today for advice on how to proceed.

Workplace discrimination occurs when an employee or job applicant is treated unfavourably due to their race, religion, sex, age, disability, or genetic information. Discrimination can take many forms, such as hiring, firing, promotions, pay, job assignments, or any other employment-related decision.

Positive discrimination can occur, which is when someone is treated more mindfully of an aspect of themselves, but this can still cause discomfort, especially if done in the workplace.

If you have been discriminated against in your workplace, you should speak to our discrimination claims solicitors.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It can create a hostile work environment and make those subject to it feel uncomfortable. Employers are responsible for preventing and addressing sexual harassment in the workplace by establishing clear policies, providing training, and promptly investigating and addressing complaints.

A sub-contractor is a self-employed individual who provides services to a company or individual under a contract or agreement, while an employee works directly for an employer. Sub-contractors typically have more control over their work, are responsible for their own taxes, and do not receive employee benefits, such as health insurance or paid time off. Employees, on the other hand, have less control over their work and are entitled to various employment protections and benefits.