Running your business
Running your business
When you are running your business, you want to be focused on the things that make you money, and not worrying about non-core functions such as legal. That being said having an understanding is key.
This section covers a number of different legal matters that might come up while you are running your business.
Hiring & Managing Employees
Share Purchase Agreement
What is it?
A Share purchase agreement (SPA) is an agreement setting out the terms and conditions relating to the sale and purchase of shares in a company. Share purchase agreements are often complex documents which can become lengthy and create significant delay, friction and cost if not dealt with by experienced, business minded lawyers.
Why is it important?
There is often a choice and negotiation over whether it’s best for either or both parties to buy/sell assets rather than shares. This would depend on whether the current owner (seller) is a limited company. If not, there can be no share sale! Further, where a buyer wants to preserve as many customer relations as possible, they may elect to buy the shares as opposed to assets.
The seller’s solicitor usually draws up the draft share purchase agreement.
Risks
While the buyer’s solicitor will try to protect the buyer the interest of the seller’s solicitor is to minimise this protection, in particular by limiting the seller’s liability for misrepresentation. However, in practice, where there is fraudulent misrepresentation the seller will still be liable so the buyer may accept such clauses since they are not valid if the seller can prove fraudulent misrepresentation.
Please contact us if you require specialist commercial lawyers to review, draft, negotiate, amend or generally advise on a share purchase agreement.
Asset Purchase Agreement
What is it?
An asset purchase agreement is an agreement setting out the terms and conditions relating to the sale and purchase of assets of a business. In an asset purchase, the company itself will be selling the assets, whilst in a share sale, the individual shareholders will be the sellers.
Occasionally a buyer will prefer to acquire certain assets of a business rather than acquire all of the shares in a company and therefore, both its assets and liabilities.
A buyer will normally prefer to buy the assets of a business, while the seller will prefer to sell the shares. The main benefit of an asset purchase is that a buyer may selectively pick the assets and liabilities they want to acquire and there is generally less risk of hidden liabilities than with a share purchase.
Risks
The main disadvantage of an asset sale, as opposed to a share purchase agreement is that each item must be transferred in accordance with its proper rules and made enforceable against third parties (eg through consents and approvals). This is especially the case for customer contracts, as a third party may view the transaction as an opportunity to renegotiate their contract thereby adding delay and additional costs to the transaction.
In addition, there may be other important contracts that are non-transferrable, or licences and consents unique to the seller which may not be transferrable.
In an asset sale it is vital to identify what exactly is being purchased. Assets transferred as part of an Asset purchase agreement may include:
- Plant and machinery.
- Premises;
- Stock;
- Contracts;
- Know-how; and
- Goodwill.
Please contact us if you require specialist commercial lawyers to review, draft, negotiate, amend or generally advise on a share purchase agreement.
Disclosure Letter
What is it?
A Non-Disclosure letter or Non-Disclosure Agreement, also called a Confidentiality Agreement, is a legal contract between two or more parties by which the parties agree not to disclose information (which is intended to be kept secret) that they have shared with each other during a business relationship to third parties.
Why is it important?
This Agreement may either be one-way (unilateral) or two-way (mutual), depending on whether both parties will be providing the secret information. If one party will be providing the secret information to the other, it is called a Unilateral Non-Disclosure Agreement.
For example, where an inventor of an idea is sharing the idea with another person, the inventor is the disclosing party and the other party is the receiving party. If the two parties will share the secret information between themselves, it is called a Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement.
HR Policies
Company formation
What is it?
Companies House is the UK’s ‘registrar of companies. A UK company can’t be formed without approval from Companies House therefore all company formation requests need to go through Companies House. You can apply directly or via company formation agents – who may charge slightly more than Companies House and are able to offer everything that Companies House offer, plus extra associated services.
Why is it important?
Company formation documents are the key pieces of documentation (i.e. the certificate of incorporation, memorandum of association and articles of association) that you will need to keep and refer to following your registration of your company with Companies
House. If you have access to a computer, you can form your company online in a matter of hours The prices vary but Companies House charge £12 if the formation is done online. Using the paper method via the actual IN01 form sent via post costs £40 for the standard 5-10 da service or £100 for the same-day service.
To form a company, you need the following information:
- Proposed company name
- The proposed Registered office address
- Shareholder(s) details
- Company director(s) details
- The share capital information and the particulars relating to each class of shares
- Details of the people with significant control details
You also need Articles of association – These set out the rules for the running of the company, including internal management affairs and legal responsibility and a Memorandum of association – This document will contain the names of the subscribers (initial shareholders) or guarantors agreeing to forming the company.
If forming your company online, the Articles of Association and Memorandum will be automatically created for you although you still have the option to create your own ‘Articles of association’ if you wish. If using the paper method, you will still have the opportunity to use prepared ‘Articles of association’ but you will need to include your own ‘Memorandum of association’ when posting your completed IN01.
Directors' service agreement
What is it?
This is a more complex contract of employment between a director/executive and an employer.
Why is it important?
It sets out the employment terms and conditions of employment and the standard areas of the employment.
Risks
As a director is more likely to be exposed to confidential information and have more responsibility this contract will include clauses which help to protect the business’s interests eg garden leave, confidentiality, non-solicitation clauses and restrictive covenants and ensure any intellectual property created by the employee- director belongs to the business..
Articles of Association
What is it?
Every company formed in England and Wales is required to have articles, without which a company cannot legally be formed. This requirement applies whether or not the company is public or private and whether limited by shares or by guarantee.
Why is it important?
The Articles of Association set out the rules for the running of the company, including internal management affairs and legal responsibility agreed by the shareholders or guarantors, directors.
The articles generally cover five essential areas:
- Limited liability of shareholders – a fixed sum limited to the nominal value of their shares.
- Shares and distributions – rights attaching to particular shares, issues and transfers of shares, payments of dividends and another share dealings;
- Shareholder decision making – quorum and voting at general meetings of shareholders and various decision-making options.
- Directors and decision making – number of directors, their powers and responsibilities and procedures for decision making; and
- Administrative arrangements.
Our corporate solicitors can provide you with legal advice on reviewing, drafting, or amending your articles of association and other constitutional documents. We can also provide you with bespoke articles of association.
Board Resolutions
What is it?
EMI Schemes
What is it?
An Enterprise Management Incentive (“EMI”) scheme is an approved employee share scheme designed for smaller companies and accessible to most trading companies.
Why is it important?
It allows employers to attract and retain key staff by rewarding them with share options (equity participation ) in the business in a tax efficient way, as a reward for their efforts within the business and/or to incentivise key staff, It is ideal for smaller entrepreneurial businesses that might not be able to match salaries paid elsewhere.
Board Minutes
What is it?
Share Certificates
What is it?
A Share Certificate (or stock certificate) is a written document which is evidence of a shareholder's ownership of shares in the company. The share certificate is generally issued by companies to shareholders after a transfer or transmission of shares or an allotment has been made.
Why is it important?
The share certificate will include the name of the company issuing the shares, its registration number, the details of the holders of the shares, the certificate number, the class(es) of shares being issued, date of issue, the amount paid on each share etc.
A share certificate can be issued by a private limited, public limited and unlimited liability company but cannot be issued by a company limited by guarantee as the company does not have shares.
Shareholders Agreement
What is it?
We always recommend that you put a shareholders’ agreement in place if your company has more than one shareholder.A shareholder agreement sets out the rights and obligations of each shareholder. The purpose of a shareholder agreement is to cover the most important issues in a business relationship:
- How the shareholders will run the company
- The mechanism for resolution of disputes between the shareholders(i.e. a “Deadlock” clause)
- The process for valuation of the company
- The transmission of shares in the event of the death or departure of a shareholder.
Why is it important?
A Shareholders agreement has several benefits:
- It provides each member with clear details of their responsibilities, financial input, voting arrangements and share transfers thereby making it a strong safeguard against legal disputes and disagreements.
- If carefully thought out and drafted it can protect individual shareholders and give them more protection that they would receive under the Model Articles of Association eg by giving each individual member a veto if the business is considering important changes
- It is an essential agreement to have when a company has more than one shareholder as there is nothing to regulate what happens if the shareholders have a dispute or a shareholder dies.
- It greatly reduces the risk of a shareholders’ dispute occurring and if it does it will be quicker to resolve.
- If a shareholder is not pulling their weight or is damaging the business’s reputation the to her shareholders can vote to remove him or her and buy his or her shares for a fair price. This would be difficult to do without a shareholder’s agreement and if just relying on the standard Articles.
Our Shareholders Agreement solicitors can provide you with a professionally drafted shareholders agreement at reasonable fixed fees. Contact us today!
Managing licenses
Running an online business
Protecting your IP
Business Relationships
Writing a business plan
Protecting your IP
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Business Relationships
Invitation letter to a disciplinary appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
Make sure you do things right when you discipline an employee. Our employment solicitors can provide you with a disciplinary hearing letter/notice to be sent to the employee which sets out in clear and simple terms the disciplinary allegations, process to be followed, the employee's rights and potential sanctions.
Why is it important?
If you are formally disciplining an employee for misconduct, this letter ensures that you are complying with the unfair dismissal laws. It also meets the requirements of the statutory ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. It is always best practice to give the employee a right to appeal any misconduct decision. The letter should tell the employee they must appeal in writing with their grounds of appeal. If you accept an appeal by the employee, you should respond with a letter inviting the employee to an appeal hearing for misconduct.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded your employee if the case went to court.
Invitation letter to an appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
The right to appeal against the outcome of disciplinary action is an important element of a fair disciplinary process. Where an employee appeals against a disciplinary sanction, the employer should invite them to a disciplinary appeal hearing.
Why is it important?
The ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures states that the employee should be given the right to appeal against any disciplinary sanction or decision.Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation letter to an appeal hearing that helps ensure that your processes are watertight. The invitation should include information about the employee's right to be accompanied at the appeal hearing.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded if the case went to court.
Disciplinary outcome letter for misconduct - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the disciplinary meeting when the outcome is a warning or that no further action is to be taken by the employer.
Invitation letter to a performance appeal hearing
What is it?
This is a letter that should be used to invite an employee to a performance appeal hearing.
Invitation letter to a performance appraisal
What is it?
An appraisal is a formal process that allows you and a member of staff to assess the staff member’s performance over a period of time eg on a 6 month or 12 month basis. A detailed appraisal has a number of benefits for you and your employees.
Why is it important?
For example, it gives you the opportunity to:
1. review and provide feedback on their performance and set objectives to maximise performance.
2. It also gives the employee the opportunity to comment on their performance, suggest improvements and bring any problems to your attention.
3. It can therefore assist in motivating employees, resolution of problems and the prevention of legal disputes.
Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation to attend an appraisal meeting letter tailored to your specific requirements. This letter sets the date for the meeting, who will conduct the meeting and whether the member of staff needs to bring any particular documents or information to the meeting.
Contact our employment law solicitors on 01234 938089.
Poor performance outcome letter - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the poor performance meeting when the outcome is a warning or no further action is to be taken.
Disciplinary procedure
What is it?
A disciplinary procedure is a formal way for an employer to deal with an employee’s unacceptable or improper behaviour (‘misconduct’) or performance (‘capability’).
Why is it important?
You should put your disciplinary procedure in writing and make it easily available to all staff. IIt should say what performance and behaviour might lead to disciplinary action and what action your employer might take.
It should also include the name of someone you can speak to if you do not agree with your employer’s disciplinary decision.
Disciplinary steps : Your disciplinary procedure should include the following steps:
-
A letter setting out the issue.
-
A meeting to discuss the issue.
-
A disciplinary decision.
-
A chance to appeal this decision.
Risks
Before starting a disciplinary procedure against a member of staff , you should first see whether the problem can be resolved in an informal way. This can often be the quickest and easiest solution.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Suspension Letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for misconduct
What is it?
Dismissal letter for poor performance
What is it?
Gross misconduct dismissal letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for employees without unfair dismissal rights
What is it?
Appeal letter
What is it?
This is a letter from an employee against whom a disciplinary sanction has been imposed appealing against the dismissal.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Running an online business
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Buying & Selling Goods & Services
Company formation
What is it?
Companies House is the UK’s ‘registrar of companies. A UK company can’t be formed without approval from Companies House therefore all company formation requests need to go through Companies House. You can apply directly or via company formation agents – who may charge slightly more than Companies House and are able to offer everything that Companies House offer, plus extra associated services.
Why is it important?
Company formation documents are the key pieces of documentation (i.e. the certificate of incorporation, memorandum of association and articles of association) that you will need to keep and refer to following your registration of your company with Companies
House. If you have access to a computer, you can form your company online in a matter of hours The prices vary but Companies House charge £12 if the formation is done online. Using the paper method via the actual IN01 form sent via post costs £40 for the standard 5-10 da service or £100 for the same-day service.
To form a company, you need the following information:
- Proposed company name
- The proposed Registered office address
- Shareholder(s) details
- Company director(s) details
- The share capital information and the particulars relating to each class of shares
- Details of the people with significant control details
You also need Articles of association – These set out the rules for the running of the company, including internal management affairs and legal responsibility and a Memorandum of association – This document will contain the names of the subscribers (initial shareholders) or guarantors agreeing to forming the company.
If forming your company online, the Articles of Association and Memorandum will be automatically created for you although you still have the option to create your own ‘Articles of association’ if you wish. If using the paper method, you will still have the opportunity to use prepared ‘Articles of association’ but you will need to include your own ‘Memorandum of association’ when posting your completed IN01.
Directors' service agreement
What is it?
This is a more complex contract of employment between a director/executive and an employer.
Why is it important?
It sets out the employment terms and conditions of employment and the standard areas of the employment.
Risks
As a director is more likely to be exposed to confidential information and have more responsibility this contract will include clauses which help to protect the business’s interests eg garden leave, confidentiality, non-solicitation clauses and restrictive covenants and ensure any intellectual property created by the employee- director belongs to the business..
Articles of Association
What is it?
Every company formed in England and Wales is required to have articles, without which a company cannot legally be formed. This requirement applies whether or not the company is public or private and whether limited by shares or by guarantee.
Why is it important?
The Articles of Association set out the rules for the running of the company, including internal management affairs and legal responsibility agreed by the shareholders or guarantors, directors.
The articles generally cover five essential areas:
- Limited liability of shareholders – a fixed sum limited to the nominal value of their shares.
- Shares and distributions – rights attaching to particular shares, issues and transfers of shares, payments of dividends and another share dealings;
- Shareholder decision making – quorum and voting at general meetings of shareholders and various decision-making options.
- Directors and decision making – number of directors, their powers and responsibilities and procedures for decision making; and
- Administrative arrangements.
Our corporate solicitors can provide you with legal advice on reviewing, drafting, or amending your articles of association and other constitutional documents. We can also provide you with bespoke articles of association.
Board Resolutions
What is it?
EMI Schemes
What is it?
An Enterprise Management Incentive (“EMI”) scheme is an approved employee share scheme designed for smaller companies and accessible to most trading companies.
Why is it important?
It allows employers to attract and retain key staff by rewarding them with share options (equity participation ) in the business in a tax efficient way, as a reward for their efforts within the business and/or to incentivise key staff, It is ideal for smaller entrepreneurial businesses that might not be able to match salaries paid elsewhere.
Board Minutes
What is it?
Share Certificates
What is it?
A Share Certificate (or stock certificate) is a written document which is evidence of a shareholder's ownership of shares in the company. The share certificate is generally issued by companies to shareholders after a transfer or transmission of shares or an allotment has been made.
Why is it important?
The share certificate will include the name of the company issuing the shares, its registration number, the details of the holders of the shares, the certificate number, the class(es) of shares being issued, date of issue, the amount paid on each share etc.
A share certificate can be issued by a private limited, public limited and unlimited liability company but cannot be issued by a company limited by guarantee as the company does not have shares.
Shareholders Agreement
What is it?
We always recommend that you put a shareholders’ agreement in place if your company has more than one shareholder.A shareholder agreement sets out the rights and obligations of each shareholder. The purpose of a shareholder agreement is to cover the most important issues in a business relationship:
- How the shareholders will run the company
- The mechanism for resolution of disputes between the shareholders(i.e. a “Deadlock” clause)
- The process for valuation of the company
- The transmission of shares in the event of the death or departure of a shareholder.
Why is it important?
A Shareholders agreement has several benefits:
- It provides each member with clear details of their responsibilities, financial input, voting arrangements and share transfers thereby making it a strong safeguard against legal disputes and disagreements.
- If carefully thought out and drafted it can protect individual shareholders and give them more protection that they would receive under the Model Articles of Association eg by giving each individual member a veto if the business is considering important changes
- It is an essential agreement to have when a company has more than one shareholder as there is nothing to regulate what happens if the shareholders have a dispute or a shareholder dies.
- It greatly reduces the risk of a shareholders’ dispute occurring and if it does it will be quicker to resolve.
- If a shareholder is not pulling their weight or is damaging the business’s reputation the to her shareholders can vote to remove him or her and buy his or her shares for a fair price. This would be difficult to do without a shareholder’s agreement and if just relying on the standard Articles.
Our Shareholders Agreement solicitors can provide you with a professionally drafted shareholders agreement at reasonable fixed fees. Contact us today!
Managing licenses
Running an online business
Protecting your IP
Business Relationships
Writing a business plan
Managing a company
Company formation
What is it?
Companies House is the UK’s ‘registrar of companies. A UK company can’t be formed without approval from Companies House therefore all company formation requests need to go through Companies House. You can apply directly or via company formation agents – who may charge slightly more than Companies House and are able to offer everything that Companies House offer, plus extra associated services.
Why is it important?
Company formation documents are the key pieces of documentation (i.e. the certificate of incorporation, memorandum of association and articles of association) that you will need to keep and refer to following your registration of your company with Companies
House. If you have access to a computer, you can form your company online in a matter of hours The prices vary but Companies House charge £12 if the formation is done online. Using the paper method via the actual IN01 form sent via post costs £40 for the standard 5-10 da service or £100 for the same-day service.
To form a company, you need the following information:
- Proposed company name
- The proposed Registered office address
- Shareholder(s) details
- Company director(s) details
- The share capital information and the particulars relating to each class of shares
- Details of the people with significant control details
You also need Articles of association – These set out the rules for the running of the company, including internal management affairs and legal responsibility and a Memorandum of association – This document will contain the names of the subscribers (initial shareholders) or guarantors agreeing to forming the company.
If forming your company online, the Articles of Association and Memorandum will be automatically created for you although you still have the option to create your own ‘Articles of association’ if you wish. If using the paper method, you will still have the opportunity to use prepared ‘Articles of association’ but you will need to include your own ‘Memorandum of association’ when posting your completed IN01.
Directors' service agreement
What is it?
This is a more complex contract of employment between a director/executive and an employer.
Why is it important?
It sets out the employment terms and conditions of employment and the standard areas of the employment.
Risks
As a director is more likely to be exposed to confidential information and have more responsibility this contract will include clauses which help to protect the business’s interests eg garden leave, confidentiality, non-solicitation clauses and restrictive covenants and ensure any intellectual property created by the employee- director belongs to the business..
Articles of Association
What is it?
Every company formed in England and Wales is required to have articles, without which a company cannot legally be formed. This requirement applies whether or not the company is public or private and whether limited by shares or by guarantee.
Why is it important?
The Articles of Association set out the rules for the running of the company, including internal management affairs and legal responsibility agreed by the shareholders or guarantors, directors.
The articles generally cover five essential areas:
- Limited liability of shareholders – a fixed sum limited to the nominal value of their shares.
- Shares and distributions – rights attaching to particular shares, issues and transfers of shares, payments of dividends and another share dealings;
- Shareholder decision making – quorum and voting at general meetings of shareholders and various decision-making options.
- Directors and decision making – number of directors, their powers and responsibilities and procedures for decision making; and
- Administrative arrangements.
Our corporate solicitors can provide you with legal advice on reviewing, drafting, or amending your articles of association and other constitutional documents. We can also provide you with bespoke articles of association.
Board Resolutions
What is it?
EMI Schemes
What is it?
An Enterprise Management Incentive (“EMI”) scheme is an approved employee share scheme designed for smaller companies and accessible to most trading companies.
Why is it important?
It allows employers to attract and retain key staff by rewarding them with share options (equity participation ) in the business in a tax efficient way, as a reward for their efforts within the business and/or to incentivise key staff, It is ideal for smaller entrepreneurial businesses that might not be able to match salaries paid elsewhere.
Board Minutes
What is it?
Share Certificates
What is it?
A Share Certificate (or stock certificate) is a written document which is evidence of a shareholder's ownership of shares in the company. The share certificate is generally issued by companies to shareholders after a transfer or transmission of shares or an allotment has been made.
Why is it important?
The share certificate will include the name of the company issuing the shares, its registration number, the details of the holders of the shares, the certificate number, the class(es) of shares being issued, date of issue, the amount paid on each share etc.
A share certificate can be issued by a private limited, public limited and unlimited liability company but cannot be issued by a company limited by guarantee as the company does not have shares.
Shareholders Agreement
What is it?
We always recommend that you put a shareholders’ agreement in place if your company has more than one shareholder.A shareholder agreement sets out the rights and obligations of each shareholder. The purpose of a shareholder agreement is to cover the most important issues in a business relationship:
- How the shareholders will run the company
- The mechanism for resolution of disputes between the shareholders(i.e. a “Deadlock” clause)
- The process for valuation of the company
- The transmission of shares in the event of the death or departure of a shareholder.
Why is it important?
A Shareholders agreement has several benefits:
- It provides each member with clear details of their responsibilities, financial input, voting arrangements and share transfers thereby making it a strong safeguard against legal disputes and disagreements.
- If carefully thought out and drafted it can protect individual shareholders and give them more protection that they would receive under the Model Articles of Association eg by giving each individual member a veto if the business is considering important changes
- It is an essential agreement to have when a company has more than one shareholder as there is nothing to regulate what happens if the shareholders have a dispute or a shareholder dies.
- It greatly reduces the risk of a shareholders’ dispute occurring and if it does it will be quicker to resolve.
- If a shareholder is not pulling their weight or is damaging the business’s reputation the to her shareholders can vote to remove him or her and buy his or her shares for a fair price. This would be difficult to do without a shareholder’s agreement and if just relying on the standard Articles.
Our Shareholders Agreement solicitors can provide you with a professionally drafted shareholders agreement at reasonable fixed fees. Contact us today!
Managing licenses
Running an online business
Protecting your IP
Business Relationships
Writing a business plan
Settlement agreements & Ref
Invitation letter to a disciplinary appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
Make sure you do things right when you discipline an employee. Our employment solicitors can provide you with a disciplinary hearing letter/notice to be sent to the employee which sets out in clear and simple terms the disciplinary allegations, process to be followed, the employee's rights and potential sanctions.
Why is it important?
If you are formally disciplining an employee for misconduct, this letter ensures that you are complying with the unfair dismissal laws. It also meets the requirements of the statutory ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. It is always best practice to give the employee a right to appeal any misconduct decision. The letter should tell the employee they must appeal in writing with their grounds of appeal. If you accept an appeal by the employee, you should respond with a letter inviting the employee to an appeal hearing for misconduct.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded your employee if the case went to court.
Invitation letter to an appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
The right to appeal against the outcome of disciplinary action is an important element of a fair disciplinary process. Where an employee appeals against a disciplinary sanction, the employer should invite them to a disciplinary appeal hearing.
Why is it important?
The ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures states that the employee should be given the right to appeal against any disciplinary sanction or decision.Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation letter to an appeal hearing that helps ensure that your processes are watertight. The invitation should include information about the employee's right to be accompanied at the appeal hearing.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded if the case went to court.
Disciplinary outcome letter for misconduct - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the disciplinary meeting when the outcome is a warning or that no further action is to be taken by the employer.
Invitation letter to a performance appeal hearing
What is it?
This is a letter that should be used to invite an employee to a performance appeal hearing.
Invitation letter to a performance appraisal
What is it?
An appraisal is a formal process that allows you and a member of staff to assess the staff member’s performance over a period of time eg on a 6 month or 12 month basis. A detailed appraisal has a number of benefits for you and your employees.
Why is it important?
For example, it gives you the opportunity to:
1. review and provide feedback on their performance and set objectives to maximise performance.
2. It also gives the employee the opportunity to comment on their performance, suggest improvements and bring any problems to your attention.
3. It can therefore assist in motivating employees, resolution of problems and the prevention of legal disputes.
Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation to attend an appraisal meeting letter tailored to your specific requirements. This letter sets the date for the meeting, who will conduct the meeting and whether the member of staff needs to bring any particular documents or information to the meeting.
Contact our employment law solicitors on 01234 938089.
Poor performance outcome letter - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the poor performance meeting when the outcome is a warning or no further action is to be taken.
Disciplinary procedure
What is it?
A disciplinary procedure is a formal way for an employer to deal with an employee’s unacceptable or improper behaviour (‘misconduct’) or performance (‘capability’).
Why is it important?
You should put your disciplinary procedure in writing and make it easily available to all staff. IIt should say what performance and behaviour might lead to disciplinary action and what action your employer might take.
It should also include the name of someone you can speak to if you do not agree with your employer’s disciplinary decision.
Disciplinary steps : Your disciplinary procedure should include the following steps:
-
A letter setting out the issue.
-
A meeting to discuss the issue.
-
A disciplinary decision.
-
A chance to appeal this decision.
Risks
Before starting a disciplinary procedure against a member of staff , you should first see whether the problem can be resolved in an informal way. This can often be the quickest and easiest solution.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Suspension Letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for misconduct
What is it?
Dismissal letter for poor performance
What is it?
Gross misconduct dismissal letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for employees without unfair dismissal rights
What is it?
Appeal letter
What is it?
This is a letter from an employee against whom a disciplinary sanction has been imposed appealing against the dismissal.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Commercial notices
Invitation letter to a disciplinary appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
Make sure you do things right when you discipline an employee. Our employment solicitors can provide you with a disciplinary hearing letter/notice to be sent to the employee which sets out in clear and simple terms the disciplinary allegations, process to be followed, the employee's rights and potential sanctions.
Why is it important?
If you are formally disciplining an employee for misconduct, this letter ensures that you are complying with the unfair dismissal laws. It also meets the requirements of the statutory ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. It is always best practice to give the employee a right to appeal any misconduct decision. The letter should tell the employee they must appeal in writing with their grounds of appeal. If you accept an appeal by the employee, you should respond with a letter inviting the employee to an appeal hearing for misconduct.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded your employee if the case went to court.
Invitation letter to an appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
The right to appeal against the outcome of disciplinary action is an important element of a fair disciplinary process. Where an employee appeals against a disciplinary sanction, the employer should invite them to a disciplinary appeal hearing.
Why is it important?
The ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures states that the employee should be given the right to appeal against any disciplinary sanction or decision.Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation letter to an appeal hearing that helps ensure that your processes are watertight. The invitation should include information about the employee's right to be accompanied at the appeal hearing.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded if the case went to court.
Disciplinary outcome letter for misconduct - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the disciplinary meeting when the outcome is a warning or that no further action is to be taken by the employer.
Invitation letter to a performance appeal hearing
What is it?
This is a letter that should be used to invite an employee to a performance appeal hearing.
Invitation letter to a performance appraisal
What is it?
An appraisal is a formal process that allows you and a member of staff to assess the staff member’s performance over a period of time eg on a 6 month or 12 month basis. A detailed appraisal has a number of benefits for you and your employees.
Why is it important?
For example, it gives you the opportunity to:
1. review and provide feedback on their performance and set objectives to maximise performance.
2. It also gives the employee the opportunity to comment on their performance, suggest improvements and bring any problems to your attention.
3. It can therefore assist in motivating employees, resolution of problems and the prevention of legal disputes.
Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation to attend an appraisal meeting letter tailored to your specific requirements. This letter sets the date for the meeting, who will conduct the meeting and whether the member of staff needs to bring any particular documents or information to the meeting.
Contact our employment law solicitors on 01234 938089.
Poor performance outcome letter - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the poor performance meeting when the outcome is a warning or no further action is to be taken.
Disciplinary procedure
What is it?
A disciplinary procedure is a formal way for an employer to deal with an employee’s unacceptable or improper behaviour (‘misconduct’) or performance (‘capability’).
Why is it important?
You should put your disciplinary procedure in writing and make it easily available to all staff. IIt should say what performance and behaviour might lead to disciplinary action and what action your employer might take.
It should also include the name of someone you can speak to if you do not agree with your employer’s disciplinary decision.
Disciplinary steps : Your disciplinary procedure should include the following steps:
-
A letter setting out the issue.
-
A meeting to discuss the issue.
-
A disciplinary decision.
-
A chance to appeal this decision.
Risks
Before starting a disciplinary procedure against a member of staff , you should first see whether the problem can be resolved in an informal way. This can often be the quickest and easiest solution.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Suspension Letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for misconduct
What is it?
Dismissal letter for poor performance
What is it?
Gross misconduct dismissal letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for employees without unfair dismissal rights
What is it?
Appeal letter
What is it?
This is a letter from an employee against whom a disciplinary sanction has been imposed appealing against the dismissal.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Letting a commercial property
Letter ending a contract
- The letter contains a clear description of the reasons for the termination of the contract.
- The date of termination is mentioned.
- The letter thanks the other party for their services.
Our contract solicitors can provide you with a bespoke letter for a reasonable fixed fee that you can use to cancel a contract or agreement.
Letter assigning a contract
What is it?
Transferring a contract from one party to another is known as ‘assigning’ a contract or ‘an assignment’ of the contract. An assignment ends one party’s involvement in the contract and transfers their contractual rights, benefits and interests to a new party.
Risks
Some contracts may contain a clause prohibiting assignment; other contracts may require the other party to consent to the assignment. Unless assignment is prohibited in a contract, a party may assign their rights to third party without the consent of the other party to the agreement. A letter of assignment is used to effect the assignment and will be signed by the outgoing party and the incoming party.
Sale and Purchase of Commerial Property
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Buying & Selling a business
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Operating as a Sole Trader
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Ending or Assigning an Existing Agreement
Company formation
What is it?
Companies House is the UK’s ‘registrar of companies. A UK company can’t be formed without approval from Companies House therefore all company formation requests need to go through Companies House. You can apply directly or via company formation agents – who may charge slightly more than Companies House and are able to offer everything that Companies House offer, plus extra associated services.
Why is it important?
Company formation documents are the key pieces of documentation (i.e. the certificate of incorporation, memorandum of association and articles of association) that you will need to keep and refer to following your registration of your company with Companies
House. If you have access to a computer, you can form your company online in a matter of hours The prices vary but Companies House charge £12 if the formation is done online. Using the paper method via the actual IN01 form sent via post costs £40 for the standard 5-10 da service or £100 for the same-day service.
To form a company, you need the following information:
- Proposed company name
- The proposed Registered office address
- Shareholder(s) details
- Company director(s) details
- The share capital information and the particulars relating to each class of shares
- Details of the people with significant control details
You also need Articles of association – These set out the rules for the running of the company, including internal management affairs and legal responsibility and a Memorandum of association – This document will contain the names of the subscribers (initial shareholders) or guarantors agreeing to forming the company.
If forming your company online, the Articles of Association and Memorandum will be automatically created for you although you still have the option to create your own ‘Articles of association’ if you wish. If using the paper method, you will still have the opportunity to use prepared ‘Articles of association’ but you will need to include your own ‘Memorandum of association’ when posting your completed IN01.
Directors' service agreement
What is it?
This is a more complex contract of employment between a director/executive and an employer.
Why is it important?
It sets out the employment terms and conditions of employment and the standard areas of the employment.
Risks
As a director is more likely to be exposed to confidential information and have more responsibility this contract will include clauses which help to protect the business’s interests eg garden leave, confidentiality, non-solicitation clauses and restrictive covenants and ensure any intellectual property created by the employee- director belongs to the business..
Articles of Association
What is it?
Every company formed in England and Wales is required to have articles, without which a company cannot legally be formed. This requirement applies whether or not the company is public or private and whether limited by shares or by guarantee.
Why is it important?
The Articles of Association set out the rules for the running of the company, including internal management affairs and legal responsibility agreed by the shareholders or guarantors, directors.
The articles generally cover five essential areas:
- Limited liability of shareholders – a fixed sum limited to the nominal value of their shares.
- Shares and distributions – rights attaching to particular shares, issues and transfers of shares, payments of dividends and another share dealings;
- Shareholder decision making – quorum and voting at general meetings of shareholders and various decision-making options.
- Directors and decision making – number of directors, their powers and responsibilities and procedures for decision making; and
- Administrative arrangements.
Our corporate solicitors can provide you with legal advice on reviewing, drafting, or amending your articles of association and other constitutional documents. We can also provide you with bespoke articles of association.
Board Resolutions
What is it?
EMI Schemes
What is it?
An Enterprise Management Incentive (“EMI”) scheme is an approved employee share scheme designed for smaller companies and accessible to most trading companies.
Why is it important?
It allows employers to attract and retain key staff by rewarding them with share options (equity participation ) in the business in a tax efficient way, as a reward for their efforts within the business and/or to incentivise key staff, It is ideal for smaller entrepreneurial businesses that might not be able to match salaries paid elsewhere.
Board Minutes
What is it?
Share Certificates
What is it?
A Share Certificate (or stock certificate) is a written document which is evidence of a shareholder's ownership of shares in the company. The share certificate is generally issued by companies to shareholders after a transfer or transmission of shares or an allotment has been made.
Why is it important?
The share certificate will include the name of the company issuing the shares, its registration number, the details of the holders of the shares, the certificate number, the class(es) of shares being issued, date of issue, the amount paid on each share etc.
A share certificate can be issued by a private limited, public limited and unlimited liability company but cannot be issued by a company limited by guarantee as the company does not have shares.
Shareholders Agreement
What is it?
We always recommend that you put a shareholders’ agreement in place if your company has more than one shareholder.A shareholder agreement sets out the rights and obligations of each shareholder. The purpose of a shareholder agreement is to cover the most important issues in a business relationship:
- How the shareholders will run the company
- The mechanism for resolution of disputes between the shareholders(i.e. a “Deadlock” clause)
- The process for valuation of the company
- The transmission of shares in the event of the death or departure of a shareholder.
Why is it important?
A Shareholders agreement has several benefits:
- It provides each member with clear details of their responsibilities, financial input, voting arrangements and share transfers thereby making it a strong safeguard against legal disputes and disagreements.
- If carefully thought out and drafted it can protect individual shareholders and give them more protection that they would receive under the Model Articles of Association eg by giving each individual member a veto if the business is considering important changes
- It is an essential agreement to have when a company has more than one shareholder as there is nothing to regulate what happens if the shareholders have a dispute or a shareholder dies.
- It greatly reduces the risk of a shareholders’ dispute occurring and if it does it will be quicker to resolve.
- If a shareholder is not pulling their weight or is damaging the business’s reputation the to her shareholders can vote to remove him or her and buy his or her shares for a fair price. This would be difficult to do without a shareholder’s agreement and if just relying on the standard Articles.
Our Shareholders Agreement solicitors can provide you with a professionally drafted shareholders agreement at reasonable fixed fees. Contact us today!
Managing licenses
Running an online business
Protecting your IP
Business Relationships
Writing a business plan
Health & Safety
Cookie Policy
Terms of Business
Commission Linking Agreement
Consent Notices
-
Let users to your website know that you are using cookies. -
Provide a link where they can learn more about how you use the data you gather. -
Provide a way for your website users to consent to the use of cookies.
GDPR Compliance
Terms and conditions for sale of goods to consumers via a website
Terms and conditions for supply of services to consumers via a website
Email footer and disclaimer
Website terms and conditions
Privacy policy
Website Terms of Use or Online Terms of Use
Managing licenses
Running an online business
Protecting your IP
Business Relationships
Writing a business plan
Planning & Highways
At risk of redundancy letter
What is it?
Dismissal for redundancy letter
What is it?
Invitation to a redundancy appeal meeting
What is it?
Redundancy consultation letter
What is it?
Managing employee performance
Invitation letter to a disciplinary appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
Make sure you do things right when you discipline an employee. Our employment solicitors can provide you with a disciplinary hearing letter/notice to be sent to the employee which sets out in clear and simple terms the disciplinary allegations, process to be followed, the employee's rights and potential sanctions.
Why is it important?
If you are formally disciplining an employee for misconduct, this letter ensures that you are complying with the unfair dismissal laws. It also meets the requirements of the statutory ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. It is always best practice to give the employee a right to appeal any misconduct decision. The letter should tell the employee they must appeal in writing with their grounds of appeal. If you accept an appeal by the employee, you should respond with a letter inviting the employee to an appeal hearing for misconduct.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded your employee if the case went to court.
Invitation letter to an appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
The right to appeal against the outcome of disciplinary action is an important element of a fair disciplinary process. Where an employee appeals against a disciplinary sanction, the employer should invite them to a disciplinary appeal hearing.
Why is it important?
The ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures states that the employee should be given the right to appeal against any disciplinary sanction or decision.Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation letter to an appeal hearing that helps ensure that your processes are watertight. The invitation should include information about the employee's right to be accompanied at the appeal hearing.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded if the case went to court.
Disciplinary outcome letter for misconduct - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the disciplinary meeting when the outcome is a warning or that no further action is to be taken by the employer.
Invitation letter to a performance appeal hearing
What is it?
This is a letter that should be used to invite an employee to a performance appeal hearing.
Invitation letter to a performance appraisal
What is it?
An appraisal is a formal process that allows you and a member of staff to assess the staff member’s performance over a period of time eg on a 6 month or 12 month basis. A detailed appraisal has a number of benefits for you and your employees.
Why is it important?
For example, it gives you the opportunity to:
1. review and provide feedback on their performance and set objectives to maximise performance.
2. It also gives the employee the opportunity to comment on their performance, suggest improvements and bring any problems to your attention.
3. It can therefore assist in motivating employees, resolution of problems and the prevention of legal disputes.
Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation to attend an appraisal meeting letter tailored to your specific requirements. This letter sets the date for the meeting, who will conduct the meeting and whether the member of staff needs to bring any particular documents or information to the meeting.
Contact our employment law solicitors on 01234 938089.
Poor performance outcome letter - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the poor performance meeting when the outcome is a warning or no further action is to be taken.
Disciplinary procedure
What is it?
A disciplinary procedure is a formal way for an employer to deal with an employee’s unacceptable or improper behaviour (‘misconduct’) or performance (‘capability’).
Why is it important?
You should put your disciplinary procedure in writing and make it easily available to all staff. IIt should say what performance and behaviour might lead to disciplinary action and what action your employer might take.
It should also include the name of someone you can speak to if you do not agree with your employer’s disciplinary decision.
Disciplinary steps : Your disciplinary procedure should include the following steps:
-
A letter setting out the issue.
-
A meeting to discuss the issue.
-
A disciplinary decision.
-
A chance to appeal this decision.
Risks
Before starting a disciplinary procedure against a member of staff , you should first see whether the problem can be resolved in an informal way. This can often be the quickest and easiest solution.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Suspension Letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for misconduct
What is it?
Dismissal letter for poor performance
What is it?
Gross misconduct dismissal letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for employees without unfair dismissal rights
What is it?
Appeal letter
What is it?
This is a letter from an employee against whom a disciplinary sanction has been imposed appealing against the dismissal.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Reorganisation & Redundancies
Invitation letter to a disciplinary appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
Make sure you do things right when you discipline an employee. Our employment solicitors can provide you with a disciplinary hearing letter/notice to be sent to the employee which sets out in clear and simple terms the disciplinary allegations, process to be followed, the employee's rights and potential sanctions.
Why is it important?
If you are formally disciplining an employee for misconduct, this letter ensures that you are complying with the unfair dismissal laws. It also meets the requirements of the statutory ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. It is always best practice to give the employee a right to appeal any misconduct decision. The letter should tell the employee they must appeal in writing with their grounds of appeal. If you accept an appeal by the employee, you should respond with a letter inviting the employee to an appeal hearing for misconduct.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded your employee if the case went to court.
Invitation letter to an appeal hearing for misconduct
What is it?
The right to appeal against the outcome of disciplinary action is an important element of a fair disciplinary process. Where an employee appeals against a disciplinary sanction, the employer should invite them to a disciplinary appeal hearing.
Why is it important?
The ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures states that the employee should be given the right to appeal against any disciplinary sanction or decision.Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation letter to an appeal hearing that helps ensure that your processes are watertight. The invitation should include information about the employee's right to be accompanied at the appeal hearing.
Risks
Non-compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will be taken into account by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an employee has been treated fairly and can also result in the tribunal increasing the amount of compensation awarded if the case went to court.
Disciplinary outcome letter for misconduct - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the disciplinary meeting when the outcome is a warning or that no further action is to be taken by the employer.
Invitation letter to a performance appeal hearing
What is it?
This is a letter that should be used to invite an employee to a performance appeal hearing.
Invitation letter to a performance appraisal
What is it?
An appraisal is a formal process that allows you and a member of staff to assess the staff member’s performance over a period of time eg on a 6 month or 12 month basis. A detailed appraisal has a number of benefits for you and your employees.
Why is it important?
For example, it gives you the opportunity to:
1. review and provide feedback on their performance and set objectives to maximise performance.
2. It also gives the employee the opportunity to comment on their performance, suggest improvements and bring any problems to your attention.
3. It can therefore assist in motivating employees, resolution of problems and the prevention of legal disputes.
Our employment solicitors can provide you with an invitation to attend an appraisal meeting letter tailored to your specific requirements. This letter sets the date for the meeting, who will conduct the meeting and whether the member of staff needs to bring any particular documents or information to the meeting.
Contact our employment law solicitors on 01234 938089.
Poor performance outcome letter - warning or no action
What is it?
This is a letter that can be used to inform the employee of the outcome of the poor performance meeting when the outcome is a warning or no further action is to be taken.
Disciplinary procedure
What is it?
A disciplinary procedure is a formal way for an employer to deal with an employee’s unacceptable or improper behaviour (‘misconduct’) or performance (‘capability’).
Why is it important?
You should put your disciplinary procedure in writing and make it easily available to all staff. IIt should say what performance and behaviour might lead to disciplinary action and what action your employer might take.
It should also include the name of someone you can speak to if you do not agree with your employer’s disciplinary decision.
Disciplinary steps : Your disciplinary procedure should include the following steps:
-
A letter setting out the issue.
-
A meeting to discuss the issue.
-
A disciplinary decision.
-
A chance to appeal this decision.
Risks
Before starting a disciplinary procedure against a member of staff , you should first see whether the problem can be resolved in an informal way. This can often be the quickest and easiest solution.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.
Suspension Letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for misconduct
What is it?
Dismissal letter for poor performance
What is it?
Gross misconduct dismissal letter
What is it?
Dismissal letter for employees without unfair dismissal rights
What is it?
Appeal letter
What is it?
This is a letter from an employee against whom a disciplinary sanction has been imposed appealing against the dismissal.
If you need help in resolving an employment matter or dispute, please contact our employment solicitors on 01234 938089. We can provide you with advice on a fixed fee basis.