Approach to costs
Solicitors at Humphreys & Co. always aim to approach
legal work in a financially-disciplined way. We offer
competitive rates. Our charging approach is both transparent
and geared to the options open to our clients. Our
solicitors generally charge by reference to time spent but
we can often agree fixed fees for specific work or in some
cases risk-adjusted funding structures.
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Send us a summary of your circumstances and objectives for a quick response. |
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employment
Discrimination
law
Employment
tribunal work, UK unfair dismissal,
discrimination and employment termination
compensation
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Solicitors here advise on obligations
in respect of non-discrimination against employees
on the basis of sex, race, disability and age. Our
solicitors can advise on employment documentation,
staff handbooks, written disciplinary procedures,
redundancy mechanisms and forms of compromise or
severance agreement.
Discrimination
laws cover all areas of work including the terms
and conditions in a contract of employment,
behaviour and conduct during employment, treatment
on returning from maternity or sick leave and
discrimination at events outside of the workplace
such as an office social. They also cover unfair
dismissal and can be relevant to matters arising
after termination of employment, such as
references given by a previous employer which make
remarks amounting to discrimination.
Employees and directors have many rights
protecting them against discrimination. Gender
discrimination for example protects the right not
to be discriminated against on the basis of gender
and the right of women to equal pay for like work
or work of equal value to work completed by men.
The rights available to employees to protect them
from discrimination cover basics such as pay,
bonuses, salaries, holiday entitlement, but also
cover rights to receive equal training and support
as and the right to be considered equally for
promotion, as well as the right not to be harassed
or bullied.
An employer can
be held responsible for discrimination by its
employees. It may also be liable for
discrimination by an external body such as an
employment agency.
As specialists in
all employment discrimination claims, we are
capable of handling all types of discrimination
claims, including tricky cases where the
discrimination is on the basis of more than one
personal trait. It is not always just a question
of race discrimination for example. There might
also be issues of gender or age discrimination to
consider.
The feeling that
you are being treated unfairly at work can be
distressing. Consulting experienced discrimination
solicitors will at least allow you access to
sympathetic support and an understanding of where
you stand under employment discrimination law.
It
would be prudent to consultant a discrimination
lawyer sooner rather than later if you intend to
bring a claim, as time limits apply.
Discrimination cases can also be quite complex and
so it is best to have an expert input on the
process of proving your case early on. If an
employment tribunal finds in favour of your
discrimination claim you may be awarded damages
for loss of earnings and injury to feelings.
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Employment
at a glance
- Employers and employees
enter into contracts of employment that
govern their rights and obligations.
There are statutory requirements governing
contracts and they need to be drafted
carefully.
- Employees are additionally
entitled to a whole raft of statutory
rights.
- Many rights, such as the right
not to be unfairly dismissed, are subject
to qualifying criteria such as period of
service. Other rights (such as the
right to paid leave for example) are
enjoyed by some categories of workers
other than employees.
- It is not sufficient to have
grounds to dismiss an employee. It
is necessary to follow a fair procedure
and to take a decision which is reasonable
in the circumstances.
- Conduct, capability, redundancy
and retirement are all potentially fair
reasons for the dismissal of an employee.
- Employees are entitled not to be
discriminated against on unlawful
grounds. These are known as
“protected characteristics” in the
Equality Act 2010 and are age, disability,
race, sex, sexual orientation, gender
reassignment, marriage and civil
partnership, pregnancy and maternity, and
religion or belief.
- Quite apart from statutory rights
employees are entitled to be treated with
dignity and respect and employers are
required not to act in such a way as to
destroy the mutual bond of trust and
confidence. Employers acting
unreasonably risk bullying and harassment
claims and complaints of constructive
dismissal.
- Employers and employees are
expected to seek to resolve disputes
informally and this may involve having a
grievance procedure and using it where
appropriate.
- Employers can protect their
assets (for example goodwill and staff) by
agreeing restrictive covenants with an
employee but great care needs to be taken
when drafting covenants because they are
scrutinised closely by the Courts when
enforced and need to be reasonable.
- Disputes between employers and
employees often find their way to an
employment tribunal. They are costly, take
time (management time in the case of an
employer) and can be stressful. The costs
in tribunal claims are generally
irrecoverable on both sides.
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We offer a fixed charge initial analysis
of your case with options and recommendations
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Some of our client
feedback:
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"I was very
impressed with your work the last time I dealt
with you, which is why I automatically suggested
to R that I use you for this matter."
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"Many thanks for
the latest update. I would just like to say -
win or lose - I think you are wonderful. It
feels like I have (if you will pardon the
analogy) The Terminator on my side."
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"Many thanks for
all your help in this matter and thank you in
particular for your manner throughout what has
been a difficult time for me. Your
professionalism and understanding have been a
great support."
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"I have read and
fully digested the information you have sent me.
Thank you for your clear explanation of my
claim.... I hope that we can win enough to make
all of your hard work worth the effort."
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Accessibility
We take instructions from UK & international clients. Our independent lawyers are available by email, telephone & fax. With central Bristol offices we are just 90 minutes from London by road or rail and 15 minutes from Bristol International Airport. We can travel to meetings if required.
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Independent approach
We are an independent professional law firm here, not a legal factory turning out mass-produced products. In our experience, determined case-handling is more likely to produce effective results.
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Turnaround time
Solicitors at Humphreys & Co. look to input not only
careful legal work and precision but also the determination
to keep matters moving. They aim to work in clients' real
interests with energy and pragmatism.
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Communication skills
Solicitors at Humphreys & Co. always try to open up the
legal process by giving advice and explaining options to
clients in a concise and straightforward way, identifying
clear courses of action whatever the technical or legal
complexities of the subject. |
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