Absence

Our absence package shows you how to manage all types of absence, including sickness (long and frequent short-term), maternity, and parental leave whilst avoiding unfair dismissal and disability discrimination claims. It also contains all the standard policies and documentation you will need, such as:

• Absence and sick pay policy
• Time off for dependants policy

• handling sickness absence

PLUS template letters:

• Absence warning
• Request to employee for medical report
• Request to GP for medical report
• Self-certification form
• Holiday request form
• Working Time Record

In addition, you can purchase smaller packages which deal with a specific type of absence as follows: maternity & parental sickness.

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Administration and record keeping

Finding the time to draw up the necessary forms, paperwork and records associated with employing people seems a never ending task, but one which is necessary to comply with the law.

Our administration and record keeping package contains everything you need!

It includes:

Step by step guide to personnel administration
 

PLUS notes on

• key statistics
• employment rights
• recent and forthcoming changes to legislation
• data protection
• working time
• young people
• minimum wage

Template forms:

• Parental leave
• Self-certification of absence
• Holiday request
• Expenses claim
• Working Time Record
• Working Time Opt Out agreement
• Bank details
• Personnel file checklist
• Training record
• Letter authorising outside work

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Contracts of employment

We offer a range of contracts, which are easy to complete and customise to clearly specify the details of your employee's terms and conditions. All of the contracts can be bought individually, as follows:

• Statement of Terms and Conditions:
  It is a legal requirement for every employee to be issued with a written statement of terms and conditions of employment within two months of commencing work.
• Contract for senior managers and key employees:
  This contract contains all of the essential information to be given by law in a statement, but also has an extended range of optional benefits and post-employment restrictions.
• Fixed-term contract:
  As above, but for employees who are contracted for a fixed, specified duration.
• Director's service agreement:
  A service agreement for an executive director who is also an employee, this contains additional clauses relating to the responsibilities which the title of "director" confers in law.
• Agreement for casual worker:
  This agreement clarifies the arrangements for casual (ie ad hoc) workers and protects the employer from creating an unintended ongoing employment relationship.

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Disciplinary

Every business can expect its employees to uphold its standards of performance and behaviour but there may be occasions where it is necessary to take disciplinary action against one of your staff. How can you do so confidently, without fear of an unfair dismissal claim which could carry with it compensation?

Our step by step guide will guide you through the process. Our procedure complies with the ACAS Code of Practice, and there are guidance notes together with all the standard documentation.

Our package includes:

Step by step guide to discipline
PLUS
Disciplinary procedure

PLUS
notes on

• disciplinary action
• handling poor performers
• misconduct and dismissal
• tribunal - legal issues

Template letters:

• Suspension letter
• Confirmation of verbal warning
• Confirmation of written warning
• Confirmation of final written warning
• Dismissal
• Dismissal (gross misconduct)
• Absence warning

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Discrimination, equal opportunity, bullying and harassment

An equal opportunity and a bullying and harassment policy, plus guidance notes on discrimination and equal opportunities. We consider these are essential to avoid the risk of unlimited compensation claims for discrimination and harassment.

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Dismissal/termination of employment

We have a range of customisable letters available depending on the circumstances for ending someone's employment with you. For example: dismissal letters, following disciplinary action, on grounds of ill-health or confirming the expiry of a fixed-term contract, a compromise agreement and an exit interview form.

You can purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Employee handbook

A good handbook will create a great impression for your business. It can help to welcome new staff, gives all staff a handy source of reference, and by writing down your rules and providing clear guidelines and information, you spend less time answering questions and enable your managers to manage in a more consistent way.

Our template handbook is split into eight main sections:

• About your business
• On joining us
• General terms and conditions
• Your career with us
• Your health, safety and security
• Other rules and general information
• On leaving us
• Our policies and procedures

Each section gives you suggested wording on a whole range of topics, which you can tailor to your working environment, and you can include your employment policies at the back as an appendix.

If you are starting from scratch, you may wish to buy the combined handbook and essential policies package!

Employee relations

Managing employee relations is essential to the success of your business. With increases in individual rights it is important that this aspect of managing your business is not neglected.

Our employee relations package will show you how to get the very best from your staff.

It includes:

Step by step guides to
Employee surveys
Communication
Employee satisfaction
Motivation
Delegation
Time management

Employee survey and
introductory letter to employees
 

Notes on trade union recognition

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Essential policies

Our essential policies package provides you with the main policies and procedures necessary to ensure legal compliance and defend claims by employees to employment tribunals. They comply with ACAS Codes of practice, are robust, and give you practical advice on how to apply them in practice.

Remember, the penalties for getting it wrong are high, with unlimited compensation for discrimination and an upper limit for unfair dismissal.

The package includes:

Policies for:

• Absence
• Bullying and harassment
• Disciplinary
• Equal opportunity
• Grievance
• Health and Safety
• IT and computer use
• Maternity, adoption, paternity
• Parental leave and time off for dependents
• Whistleblowing

PLUS notes on:

employment rights
• equal opportunities
• discrimination
• equal pay
• part-time employees
• bullying and harassment

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Grievance

Our procedure and accompanying guidance notes take you through the process of hearing grievances fairly and consistently, avoiding the likelihood of litigation.

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Managing people

The success of your business is dependent upon your managers and supervisors having the skills to manage people effectively. Poor management can lead to lost production, poor quality, dissatisfied customers, low morale, absence, accidents etc. It could also be responsible for claims of harassment, discrimination, bullying and constructive dismissal all of which could result in huge compensation claims by employees.

Small organisations cannot afford to take managers out of the business to attend expensive training courses. The solution? Our step by step guides take you through the maze of managing people to ensure you are legally compliant and are getting the best out of your staff.

Step by step guides:

• Training
• Performance development
• Delegation
• Time management
• Retention
• Communication
• Appraisal
• Motivation

Performance review forms
Training and development policy
Training and development plan
Training record
Tuition agreement
 

PLUS

• Notes on handling poor performers
• Training requirements - legal issues

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Maternity

With increased maternity rights and the introduction of parental leave, employers must be up-to-date in order to ensure their business operates effectively in the event of key staff taking such leave. Our package shows you how, giving you the information and guidance to do so within the law.

This policy also forms part of our absence package detailed above. `

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Recruitment

Recruiting the right staff is essential to the success of any business but it is a time consuming, expensive and risky process. The wrong decision can result in disruption to your business as a result of incompetence, poor performance, bad attitude, low morale and the inevitable cost of replacing a bad appointment. Recruitment is also a high risk business. You could potentially face a claim of discrimination from applicants, with no limit on the compensation you could be ordered to pay.

Our recruitment package guides you through the process. All the documentation, forms and letters you will need are included, from an application form through to making an offer of employment.

The package includes:

Step by step guides:
Recruitment
Recruitment documentation
Making an offer
Induction
 

PLUS notes on

• employment rights
• equal opportunities
• equal pay
• foreign nationals
• employees with convictions
• working time
• young people
• disability
• part-timers and
• national minimum wage

Template forms:

• Authority to recruit form
• Induction checklist
• Job description
• Person specification
• Application form
• Personnel file checklist

• invite to interview
• offer of employment
• unsuccessful candidate
• holding letter
• reference request (personal, academic and employer)
• reference request forms (personal, academic and employer)
• induction plan

You may also require the following documents which can be purchased separately:

• Handbook
• Statement of terms and conditions
• Contract for senior management and key employees
• Fixed-term contract
• Director's service agreement
• Agreement for casual worker

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Redundancy

A redundancy situation requires management time and skill in order to maintain morale and must be handled correctly to avoid claims to employment tribunals. Your selection criteria, the staff you nominate to be redundant and consultation process will all fall under scrutiny.

Our package will guide you through the process to ensure you comply with the law and can defend claims.

It contains:

Redundancy policy
 

Template letters:
informing of consultation
confirming redundancy

PLUS

• notes on redundancy
• redundancy pay reckoner

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Risk assessment

Our online HR risk assessment will confirm to you whether you are operating on the right side of employment and discrimination law and whether you are following 'best practice' in HR. On completion of an online questionnaire you will receive a comprehensive report summarising any areas of risk with suggestions of how these can be avoided.

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Training and development

A training and development policy and associated documentation will help ensure you obtain the maximum return upon your investment in people.

Also available separately is a tuition repayment agreement which allows you to legally require repayment of costs should an employee leave within a specified time scale.

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.

Whistleblowing

A policy together with guidance notes on ensuring you are fully compliant and up to date with the latest legislation affecting whistleblowing.

You can also purchase individual documents by clicking on the purchasing link above and scrolling down the list on the individual products page.