The employment tribunal statistics are now incorporated into a report from the tribunal service which includes all the government’s tribunal statistics. However, separating the employment tribunal from the rest shows that in 2007/2008 a total 189,348 claims were lodged at the employment tribunals compared with 143,474 in 2006/2007. This represents a 31.9% increase on the previous year which itself is 15% higher than the year before. The current economic climate suggests that tribunal claims are likely to be more prevalent rather than less as the pain of losing a job is unlikely to be quickly overcome by the finding of a new one. The full report can be seen here. The current maximum compensatory award is £66,200.

As an employer it is quite likely that your first encounter with an employment lawyer is because you are faced with litigation and a possible claim. Regardless of the sector of the economy in which your business operates, we are equally at home in the employment tribunals or advising on employment policy. We have clients in all sectors ranging from retailing, health, education, charities, transport, and financial services through to professional football and even firms of solicitors. We firmly believe effective staff management is the key to increasing productivity and profitability. We aim to offer cost-effective solutions to the everyday problems facing employers. Our approach is practical as well as professional. Some of the areas where we might help are:

	Discipline and Grievance		Discrimination
	Dismissal		Family friendly policies
	Pay and Reward		Performance Management
	Personnel Administration		Recruitment
	Redundancy		Training

We have a very full employment law resource on our website which is totally free of charge. HR Managers of client companies find this an invaluable assistance in dealing with routine issues meaning that they are only incurring fees when there is genuinely a problem that needs professional input.

Through our group of highly qualified employment professionals we also are able to offer expert Health & Safety advice and checks, as well as setting up and maintenance of company pension schemes and payroll management. Furthermore we work closely with Occupational Psychologists and can offer an integrated approach to occupational stress and risk assessment.

Our charges:

Although our fees are based on hourly rates we will generally quote for a specific task so that you may budget. As a specialist firm our charges are usually lower than average legal rates. If you think we can help, you can outline your problem briefly here or give us a ring - we are equally happy to discuss the matter on the telephone. We often work to a monthly retainer enabling managers with HR responsibility to have expert advice on hand.

HR AUDIT

We have developed an easy-to-use self diagnostic tool which enables us to offer a free check of your current employment practices and documents. You pay only for any work authorised by you to bring them up to date. We can e-mail this to you.

Click here to contact us or ring us on 01303 840001