Employment
What do we do?
How we do it?
Our job is simply to help solve your legal problems. To do this, we promise to explain complex legal matters in plain and simple English, provide you with regular updates on your matter and give you clear guidance on our fees, so there are no nasty surprises.
Our friendly, knowledgeable solicitors are here to provide all the help and advice you need, call us today on 
0121 511 2233.
Contracts of Employment
Whether written or verbal, a contract of employment should clearly explain your rights and responsibilities as an employee as well as stating the conditions of your employment, such as working hours, holiday entitlement and pay.
At Silks Solicitors, we provide advice on all aspects of contracts of employment. Perhaps you’ve been asked to sign a contract that you don’t understand or maybe you’re worried about changes your employer is making to an existing contract. Whatever the situation, it’s important to remember that even if you don’t sign a contract, you are still assumed to have accepted the terms by accepting a job offer. So it’s important to ensure you understand a contract and are happy with the terms before starting a job.
Whatever concerns you have, our friendly and knowledgeable employment law solicitors are here to help. You can talk to us in complete confidence. So if you’d like to find out more about contracts of employment, call us on 0121 511 2233.
Discrimination at Work
Discrimination is illegal, more than that it is abhorrent. Being treated differently because of your gender, race, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership or because you are pregnant (or recently had a baby) or have a disability is totally unacceptable. When it occurs, there are procedures to challenge it. Any business or individual can be challenged as to why they allowed discriminatory behaviour to occur. And ultimately, they can be asked to explain this to a court called an Employment Tribunal.
Discrimination is upsetting. Dealing with the fallout can be tough. Our expert lawyers can help you make a claim or resolve a disagreement. Before proceeding to court, there are other procedures to explore with you. Silks Solicitors can explain what discrimination is, how the law protects you and what options you have. We are clear about the likely costs, timescales and what outcomes may be achievable. Everything is explained without legal jargon.
To discuss your situation call us today on 0121 511 2233.
Dismissal and Employment Tribunal
If you feel that you have received unfair treatment at work or believe you have been unfairly dismissed, it’s natural to want to take action. Often it’s possible to resolve workplace disputes directly with your employer but if you’ve already tried this and failed, you may decide to take your employer to an employment tribunal. If this is the case, we can provide all the legal advice and support you will need throughout the process.
Our employment law solicitors help people who have been treated unfairly in the workplace. We’ll clearly outline your options and help you to decide if a tribunal hearing is the right course of action for you.
Employment tribunals are usually made up of a panel that includes an employment judge and two non-legal people who have business experience. A tribunal can be used to address a wide number of issues ranging from discrimination in the workplace to unfair dismissals. Both the employer and the employee may use witnesses to provide supporting evidence and after hearing the case, the panel will reach a decision which is legally binding.
At Silks Solicitors, our knowledgeable employment solicitors are here to support and guide you throughout the entire process. We will explain how best to present your case and will ensure you are fully prepared for the hearing – supporting you with everything from documentation to obtaining witness statements. We’ll clearly outline all of your options from the start so that together we can plan the best course of action. We’ll make sure you are represented fairly throughout the tribunal hearing and will ensure that you always understand what is happening at every step.
However you decide to proceed, it’s important to seek legal advice as soon as possible. You only have three months from the date of your dismissal or the date the unfair treatment last occurred to make an application for a tribunal hearing.
At Silks we believe in speaking plain English and always explain everything in straightforward terms. We’re on hand to answer any questions you may have and offer a free, initial over-the-phone conversation so you can find out about the process, costs and timescales. So for expert, confidential, friendly advice about employment law and workplace disputes, contact us today.
Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures
If you feel you have been treated unfairly at work, you are entitled to raise a grievance with your employer. Your contract, staff handbook or human resources department should be able to explain the correct procedure to follow but, if not, our experienced employment law solicitors are here to provide all the advice you need. We can help you submit a grievance or prepare you in advance of a grievance meeting and we can advise on your right to appeal if your grievance is not upheld.
If you’re facing disciplinary action, we can ensure you are treated fairly throughout the process. An employer must follow correct procedures when taking disciplinary action against you and you have the right to appeal. We’ll make sure you understand the allegations that have been made and advise on the best course of action.
When you’re facing difficulties at work, it’s natural to have lots of questions. That’s why we offer our free first advice and no hidden costs promises so that you can find out what options are available before deciding what action to take. With our in-depth knowledge of employment law, we will explain all of your options clearly and simply helping you plan the best route forward to manage your particular situation. So for fast, friendly advice, contact us today.
Redundancy
If you feel that you have been made redundant unfairly, then you’ll want to take action as soon as possible. It’s important to act quickly as you only have three months from the end of your employment to claim for unfair dismissal.
Our redundancy solicitors have in-depth experience of dealing with redundancy cases and will provide all the help and advice you need to ensure the best possible outcome. We’ll chat to you about redundancy law in a way that’s clear and easy to understand so that you can start to plan your next steps. With our help, you’ll quickly understand what you are entitled to and how to achieve the best outcome for your future.
If your case cannot be resolved directly with your employer then it may progress to an employment tribunal. If this proves to be the best course of action, we will support you through the process, helping you to understand your rights and entitlements at every step.
We offer a same-day response and with our free, initial, over-the-phone advice, it doesn’t cost you a penny to see whether we can help. So for fast, friendly employment law advice, contact us today.
Settlement Agreements
When the decision is taken to end an employment relationship, it can be a time of uncertainty. Disputes can arise over the decision to dismiss. Directors can fall out over future business strategy or investment decisions. You may feel your position is untenable or that your employer wants you to resign and is forcing you to do so. Alternatively, your employment may end due to restructuring of the company.
Settlement agreements (formerly known as Compromise Agreements) are legally binding documents. Silks can explain what one is and what it means, should you sign one. In return for an agreed financial amount, you agree to waive any claim you may have. Your claim may have a higher potential value. We explain what your options are and if this is the best outcome. Terms need to be agreed by you. At every step, we use plain English, not legal jargon. If you sign, you know fully what you are agreeing to.
To help you resolve your dispute, and to talk about settlement agreements, call us today on 0121 511 2233.
Unfair Treatment at Work
It’s important to act fast if you’ve been treated unfairly at work, particularly if you have been unfairly dismissed as you have just three months from the last day of your employment to make a claim. Once we hear from you, we can get things moving quickly – so the best advice is to get in touch as soon as possible.
Unfair treatment can come in many forms from being bullied to simply being treated differently from your colleagues. Whatever your situation, it’s natural to feel worried or concerned about what action to take for the best. That’s why we offer confidential, sympathetic support with free, initial over-the-phone advice and will explain all of the costs and timescales involved. We’ll chat with you to see whether you have a valid case and if so, we’ll support you to ensure you receive the outcome you deserve.
Our employment solicitors have a great deal of experience in dealing with the problems you may be facing. We will provide friendly, straightforward advice – answering your questions, explaining your rights and suggesting the best course of action for you to take.
We can provide unrivalled employment law knowledge. So for a friendly and confidential chat, contact us today.
Prices
Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal (based on hourly charge rates).
Simple case: £2,500-£3,500 (excluding VAT)
Medium complexity case: £3,500-£4,500 (excluding VAT)
High complexity case: £4,500-£10,000 (excluding VAT)
Factors that could make a case more complex:
- If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim
- Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person
- Making or defending a costs application
- Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
- The number of witnesses and documents
- If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer
- Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal
In the event of a case requiring more than one day of hearing there will be an additional fee of £1,500 (+VAT) per day.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Counsel’s fees estimated between £1,250 to £1,750 (+VAT) per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation). One day of Tribunal Hearing attendance is included in the case fees above.
Key stages
The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:
- Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)
- Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
- Preparing claim or response
- Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party
- Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process
- preparing or considering a schedule of loss
- Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing
- Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
- Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
- preparing bundle of documents
- Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
- agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
- Preparation and attendance at one day of Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee may be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages, this can also be arranged on your individual needs.
How long will my matter take?
The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take four months. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take six to twelve months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.
I was very pleased with Mr Thomas as a solicitor, he met my needs and was caring and very understanding. I will definitely recommend your company and use it again if need be.
ClientMr Thomas was very helpful in my case, he made me feel very comfortable talking to him, I would not hesitate to use him again.
ClientThank you so much for the advice during this matter, I felt confident throughout that you acted in my best interests.
Client