Over the years, the relationship between employer and employee has grown into an increasingly complex one, with successive labour governments adding layer upon layer to the legal framework.

Recently, the picture has been further complicated by the European Union dimension, particularly in the area of workers' rights.

These two factors, governmental influences and the impact of the European Union, have combined to create a complex legal framework.

A backdrop of constant legislative change seriously affecting the way businesses are run places an ever increasing burden on businesses to ensure that their contracts, restrictive covenants and working practices are up to date. This also emphasises the importance of enlisting the right legal support. The Wilkes Partnership offers a specialist team, a dedicated department, to guide clients through this legally compliant maze of employment law.

Staffed by personnel with a wealth of relevant experience, the Wilkes Partnership's employment law department offers an all encompassing service to employers, providing practical professional assistance on every aspect of employment law.

From maternity rights to unfair dismissal, discrimination to harassment, redundancy to transfers of undertakings, whatever the problem arising in the workplace environment, the Wilkes Partnership has the knowhow and expertise to provide a solution. The firm even has the resources and capability to represent clients in-house at tribunals, if required.

Highly accessible and with a partner-led service that recognises the importance of working together as a team with clients, The Wilkes Partnership adopts a proactive approach, pre-empting and preventing problems rather than waiting for them to arise.

The Wilkes Partnership can also advise on and draft employment contracts, one of the biggest causes of recurring problems for employers, putting in place restrictive covenants and confidentiality clauses to protect trade secrets and commercial knowledge.

For an employment service that delivers, contact Stephen Hopkins, Andrew Vernon & Jennifer Allen. The Wilkes Partnership provides a comprehensive range of employment services. The areas of non-contentious work we practise in are as follows:

• Collective Consultation
• Confidentiality issues
• Consultancy Agreements
• Compromise/Termination Agreements
• Contracts of Employment
• Data Protection
• Directors' Service Contracts
• Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
• Family friendly issues
• Fixed Term Contracts
• Flexible and Part-time working
• Health & Safety
• Human Rights
• Insolvency issues
• Maternity Leave/Pay
• Parental Leave/Pay
• Paternity Leave/Pay
• Redundancy and Reorganisation/Restructuring
• Sickness Absence, including Disability Discrimination Act issues
• Staff Handbooks
• Tax issues
• TUPE

The areas of contentious work we practise in are as follows:

• Breach of Contract
• Discrimination - all aspects (Sex, Race, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Religion or Belief, and Age)
• Equal Pay
• Redundancy
• Restraint of Trade/ Confidentiality issues
• TUPE
• Unfair Dismissal
• Unlawful Deductions from wages

We further provide:

• A newsletter service
• Seminars
• Training
• Advice in relation to Health and Safety Prosecutions
• An investigation service as a pre-cursor to disciplinary action

Contacts:

Stephen Hopkins
Andrew Vernon
Jennifer Allen