News

24 February 2022

With the end of Covid Restrictions keeping up with the fast- moving world of employment law can be difficult for employers.

So here are 6 reasons to choose BattensHR, a bespoke service from our employment team, as Head of Employment Dawn Gallie explains.

1. Legal experts- HR plus law

We are experts in our field, and advise on general HR matters including performance management, grievance and disciplinary processes and dismissal. We are also experts in discrimination and whistleblowing, contract changes and TUPE, amongst many other niche areas of employment law. We keep up to date with changes in complex legislation and case law as a requirement of our continuous professional development and, by virtue of our qualifications and experience, we are perfectly equipped to condense this into straightforward, practical advice for our clients. As we regularly present cases at Employment Tribunals, we know what Judges consider in making decisions and how our recommended course of action could be perceived.

2. Cost effective solution

BattensHR gives you unlimited day-to-day advice on HR and employment law matters all for a fixed annual fee. You can also add insurance to cover both the cost and compensation in the event of a claim against your business. BattensHR means never having to worry about the costs of obtaining employment advice and having the advice & support on hand, allowing you to concentrate on running your business.

3 Privileged advice

Whenever you receive advice from a solicitor, that advice is protected by Legal Professional Privilege. This isn’t the case when you consult an HR advisor. Likewise, any communication between you and your solicitor in preparation for anticipated or actual litigation is protected by Litigation Privilege.

Correspondence between you and your HR advisor is disclosable as part of legal proceedings and all HR advice is disclosable as part of a Subject Access Request (with some exemptions) so there is a risk that your communications will end up being scrutinised by a Judge, and in the public domain.

4. Bespoke documents

As part of Battens HR we provide all your documents from initial employment contracts through to disciplinary and dismissal letters. We don’t just provide off the shelf documents with the minimum information or unnecessary contractual obligations, but tailored, accurate and carefully drafted documents that fit your business needs and comply with the latest legal requirements.

5. Continuity of advice

We are a dedicated specialist team who are able to provide continuity of service from initial contact, with day-to-day advice through to litigation, including undertaking advocacy at Employment Tribunal. As a result, we are often able to prevent issues reaching Tribunal by resolving them early on and, where appropriate, assisting you in negotiating a settlement. This continuity means we won’t need time to get up to speed on a matter and we can be confident that the correct processes have been followed. You won’t find yourself in a scenario where you have to rush to find a solicitor available at short notice to provide urgent legal advice, assistance and representation.

6. Commercial approach

We tailor our advice to our clients’ business, rather than having a one size fits all approach. Part of that is building a relationship with you, knowing your business and its resources. Where we can, subject to the legal requirements, we will provide a range of options for dealing with a matter, whilst being mindful of your time and the outcome you are hoping to achieve. We will outline the risks and implications to allow you to figure out what works on each occasion, ensuring that the legal requirements are clear. We will realistically advise on what settlement is reasonable and what sort of award an employee might achieve at Tribunal, so that you can decide if settlement is the best option weighing up costs, risks and management time.

For more information about BattensHR contact Dawn Gallie email dawn.gallie@battens.co.uk or 01935 846233.