HR and employment law

Advice for small business employers

Before employment

• How to write job adverts
  The first step to finding the right employees for your business is attracting suitable candidates and hopefully discouraging timewasters. We tell you how to do this with your job adverts.
  
  
• Job interview tips
  The next step is to carry out thorough interviews that assesses a candidates suitability for the job and how they will fit into your company.
  
  
• Hiring agency workers
  From October 2011, agency workers have had the same basic employment rights as permanent employees after working for you for 12 weeks.
  
  
• Preventing illegal working
  Before you take on any new member of staff you have a legal obligation to make sure they have a right to work in the UK
  
  
• Apprenticeships
  Sources of help and information available to small businesses wanting take on apprentices.
  
  
• Employing reservists
  Find out how employing a reservist can provide you with well-trained, dedicated staff.

During employment

• Employment contracts
  The contract of employment is the most important HR document you will have in your business. Plus, you are legally obliged to provide every employee with a written statement of their terms and conditions of employment within two months of starting.
  
  
• National Minimum Wage
  Almost all workers in the UK aged 16 or over are legally entitled to be paid a minimum amount per hour. The rate is reviewed every year, and any increases take place in October.
  
  
• Holiday entitlement
  All employees are entitled to a minimum amount of time off per year and, for full time employees, this is capped at 28 days. You can also find all the calculations you need to work out an employee's holiday entitlement.
  
  
• Equality Act
  In 2010, existing discrimination legislation was brought together into one Equality Act. All employers must comply with this not doing so can lead to unlimited fines at tribunal.
  
  
• Maternity law
  These laws provide protection for pregnant and adopting women and those on maternity leave. Find out how these rules can help employers plan ahead and manage leave and pay, and how to claim back pay.
  
  
• Pensions
  Find out what your responsibilities are to provide employees with a pension and how this is changing from October 2012.
  
  
• Statutory Sick Pay
  When an employee is absent from work due to sickness for more than three continuous working days, they become entitled by law to receive Statutory Sick Pay.
  
  Also find out how to manage staff absence and lateness.
  
  
• Discipline and grievance process
  When dealing with disciplinary and grievance situations in the workplace, you should follow the Acas Code of Practice.
  
  
• Dismissal procedure and tribunals
  Dismissing an employee is fraught with risks for employers, so you should make sure that you follow the correct procedure and take advice.

Managing performance

• Improve employee productivity
  Find out how to get your employees more engaged in your business to improve their performance.
  
  
• Staff retention tips
  If you have good employees, it pays to hang on to them. Follow these tips to create a workplace where staff will want to stay.