Employment Guide warns of small firm complacency

A The Forum of Private Business product story

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team Feb 1, 2006

Survey shows that nearly 40% of UK firms are not confident they are complying with current law and risk causing immense damage and disruption, both financially and operationally.

Survey shows that nearly 40% of UK firms are not confident they are complying with current law and risk causing immense damage and disruption, both financially and operationally.

A leading business support group is launching its 2006 Employment Guide for small businesses against the backdrop of a survey showing that nearly 40% of firms are not confident they are complying with current law.

The Forum of Private Business' (FPB) Employment Guide is now in its sixth year and is being offered at a special discount of more than 25% off to your readers (see notes to editors) until the end of February.

The FPB's head of Membership Jenny Stewart warned that all businesses employing people, regardless of size, had to comply with employment law and failure to do so risked causing immense damage and disruption, both financially and operationally.

"Our survey revealed that 17% did not have contracts of employment for all staff and well over half, 57%, had not updated their discipline and grievance procedures for the past 12 months," she said.

"This church hall, amateur approach to the law is just asking for trouble.

Employment law is a minefield for small firms.

The vast majority of calls to our member helpline are related to employment and that is why we produce our Employment Guide every year.

It is an indispensable guide for any firm employing people.

It gives all the information employers need, from recruitment through to dismissal, to help them avoid industrial tribunals and unfair dismissal claims, and maintain positive workplace relations." Stewart said an increasing number of businesses are facing disputes with staff.

In 2003, there were more than 115,000 tribunal claims and many more disputes settled expensively out of court.

"Small business owners are vulnerable to being attacked by the ambulance-chasing law firms soliciting tribunal claims on no win no fee basis," she said.

"We know running a small firm is massively time consuming, but it pays to have a robust grasp of employment law.".