When a labor dispute arises, it is important for an employee to have a lawyer on their side. An experienced attorney can help them navigate the complex and strict laws that govern labor disputes.
Free advice employment law is available from several sources, including Acas and Citizen’s Advice. These services provide free and impartial advice on a wide range of issues.
Acas
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (or Acas) is an executive non-departmental public body that aims to improve organisations and working life through better employment relations. It provides help, training and advice to employers and employees.
The organisation is most well known for its conciliation services, which help employees and employers resolve workplace disputes. It also offers information and guidance on the law and good practice. Its guidance covers a range of issues, including bullying and discrimination.
Acas also sets codes of practice for both employers and employees, which set out how they should deal with specific work-related issues. Failure to follow the codes of practice would not in itself lead to legal proceedings, but employment tribunals can take them into account when settling discipline and grievance cases. They can also adjust financial awards to reflect a party’s failure to adhere to the codes of practice. The service is free, confidential and impartial. It can be contacted through its helpline or online.
EASS
There are a number of ways to find out more about employment laws. Acas offers free advice on workplace relations, and the EHRC provides information about discrimination. The EASS service is a new helpline for people with issues relating to discrimination and human rights. The service is commissioned by government, and it works closely with other advice organisations. It is a national service, and it also provides BSL interpretation and web chat services.
One of the key methodological features of EASS is that its topical modules are integrated into preexisting social surveys, namely CGSS (China), JGSS (Japan), KGSS (Korea), and TSCS (Taiwan) – in much the same way that ISSP module surveys are conducted by its member countries. This widens the scope of comparisons between countries.
EHRC
The EHRC is the national equality body and NHRI (national human rights institution) for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Its strategic direction is set by a board of Commissioners led by the chair. It is responsible for approving the strategic plan, monitoring performance against it and ensuring systems of governance, accountability and control.
Its powers include the power to investigate discrimination on a reasonable suspicion basis. It can conduct an investigation if it thinks that the average man on the Clapham Omnibus would be able to conclude that a suspect discriminatory act had taken place. The Commission also has a duty to promote the public understanding of and respect for equality and human rights. It publishes a range of reports and guidance on these issues.
Employment Tribunal Customer Contact Centre
An employment tribunal (external link) makes decisions about disputes between current and former workers. Tribunals are independent of the government. They can deal with claims about discrimination, unfair dismissal and other workplace issues. It’s best to try to sort out problems through informal discussion with colleagues or following your employer’s grievance procedures before taking action.
If you decide to make a claim, you must tell the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) within three months of your employment ending or the problem happening. You can do this online or by phone. You should check the time limit carefully, as leaving a claim too late could mean you can’t get compensation.
You can choose whether to have professional legal representation or not at the hearing. You can also ask for help such as converting documents to Braille or larger print, or for foreign or sign language interpreters at hearings. The tribunal will usually pay for these if necessary.