Family Finance Workshop
26 November 2015Work and Employment Law Aspects
Legal issues involving the family
• Conveyancing• Education – student litigation• Issues involving children or dependents• Adoption• Commercial • Family breakdown• Probate• Personal injury
Work and employment law issues
• Unemployment fell to 1.86 million (ONS) • Latest figures suggest that the employment
rate is 73.7% (July to September 2015 – ONS)• The figures also suggest that more families
with children are now working and show the largest fall in the percentage of workless households since records began
Work and Family Issues
• Single parent households with dependent children were more likely to be workless
Why?
Your basic rights
Be aware of your rights!• Contract of employment • National minimum wage (£6.70)– economic• Annual leave (holiday entitlement) – time with
family • Working Time Regulations – recent case law• Equal pay• Sick pay
Employee benefits
Your employer may offer various benefits (some of which may extend to spouse, partner and children)- Private medical insurance- Pension- Income protection- Dental insurance- Life insurance- Childcare vouchers
Family friendly rights at work
• Time off for dependents• Right to request flexible working • Maternity leave and pay• Adoption leave and pay• Paternity leave• Shared parental leave• Right not to be subjected to to a detriment
Redundancy
• A fair process must be followed• Full and meaningful consultation • Transparent and fair selection criteria• Suitable alternative employment• Redundancy pay• Time off to find alternative employment
Other dismissals
• A fair reason • A fair procedure• ACAS Code of Practice on Discipline and
Grievance• Performance management
Unfair dismissal
• Challenge an employer’s treatment of you• Compensation and termination payments• Taxation of termination payments
Discrimination at work
• The Equality Act 2010• The “Protected Characteristics” are:
– Age– Disability– Gender reassignment– Marriage and civil partnership– Pregnancy and maternity– Race– Religion and belief– Sex – Sexual orientation
• Part-time and fixed-term workers
Summary
• A complicated and highly litigated area!• If in doubt, seek advice
• Contact details – Neeta Laing- 07738 549034- [email protected]