Supporting Your Business with Comprehensive Employment Law Advice

Navigating the complexities of employment law is an essential part of running a successful business. At Wollens, we work closely with employers to ensure compliance, minimise risk, and foster a positive workplace environment. From drafting robust contracts to managing grievances or restructuring, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way.

A core area of our work involves settlement agreements. Whether resolving disputes amicably or navigating restructuring, these agreements can simplify legal processes while ensuring employees waive their rights appropriately. We also assist employers in preparing terms that are legally sound, fair, and practical.

Another significant concern for employers is unfair dismissal. It is crucial to establish clear, lawful grounds for dismissal, whether due to misconduct, incapability, or redundancy. Our expertise ensures you follow correct procedures, reducing the risk of claims and protecting your business’s reputation.

Discrimination claims present another challenge, with the law covering nine protected characteristics. Cases can be complex and carry significant financial and reputational risks. We help businesses understand their obligations, implement preventive measures, and defend claims effectively.

Change is inevitable in business, and we provide essential support during redundancies, TUPE transfers, and reorganisations. From consultations to compliance with employment law requirements, we help you manage transitions fairly and efficiently.

We also advise on grievance and disciplinary procedures, ensuring you have clear policies that outline employee expectations and a transparent process to address concerns or misconduct. This clarity is vital for maintaining fairness and avoiding disputes.

Drafting contracts and policies is another area where we excel. From employment contracts to handbooks detailing workplace policies, we ensure your documentation is tailored to your needs, providing clarity and legal protection. For self-employed and casual workers, we help distinguish roles and draft agreements to avoid tax and employment status disputes.

In today’s fast-evolving legal landscape, keeping up with employment rights is more critical than ever. Our proactive approach ensures you understand your obligations and can pre-emptively address potential issues, saving time, money, and stress.

Whether you’re seeking to streamline operations, mitigate risk, or create a better workplace culture, our team offers tailored, strategic advice to help your business.

★
Legal 500 Top Tier Firm
☏
Free Initial Assessment
✓
Specialist Legal Experts
⌖
Offices Across Devon
★
Trusted Across Devon & The UK
★
Legal 500 Top Tier Firm
☏
Free Initial Assessment
✓
Specialist Legal Experts
⌖
Offices Across Devon
★
Trusted Across Devon & The UK

Get in Touch

Get in touch with our team of Employment Law experts today to discuss your requirements. You can contact us via email Email or telephone us 01803 213251

Employment law is changing. Is your business ready?

The Employment Rights Act 2025 is introducing changes that affect how businesses recruit, manage and support their people. Explore five key areas below to understand the impact on your organisation and how our employment law team can help.

Guaranteed hours and greater certainty over shifts Planned for 2027 — detailed timing subject to consultation

What this means for employers

  • New guaranteed-hours rights may affect businesses using zero-hours and low-hours contracts.
  • Employers should review arrangements where staff regularly work more hours than their contracts guarantee.
  • Rights to reasonable notice of shifts and payments for short-notice cancellations will affect workforce planning and may increase staffing costs.

How we can help

  • Conduct workforce audits.
  • Review and redraft employment contracts.
  • Create processes for cancellation compensation.
  • Advise on employment-related grievances and claims.
Unfair dismissal protection after six months Scheduled for dismissals from 1 January 2027

What this means for employers

  • The qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal protection will reduce to six months of continuous employment.
  • Employers will have less time to identify and address performance or conduct concerns before this protection applies.
  • Clear onboarding, probation procedures and documented performance reviews will become increasingly important.

How we can help

  • Review probation and employee performance strategies.
  • Draft dismissal letters.
  • Advise on dismissals and settlement agreements.
  • Manage Acas Early Conciliation procedures.
Stronger duties to prevent workplace harassment Scheduled from 30 October 2026

What this means for employers

  • Employers will be required to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.
  • New obligations will address harassment of employees by third parties, such as customers, clients and visitors.
  • Businesses should review their policies, reporting procedures, staff training and workplace risk assessments.

How we can help

  • Draft equality policies and anti-harassment clauses.
  • Deliver anti-harassment training to staff.
  • Prepare event-specific risk assessments.
  • Advise on and respond to grievances.
Day-one leave rights and changes to Statutory Sick Pay Paternity, unpaid parental leave and SSP changes from 6 April 2026

What this means for employers

  • Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave are available from the first day of employment.
  • Statutory Sick Pay changes remove the lower earnings limit and waiting period, extending eligibility and making payment available from the first qualifying day.
  • Employers should review payroll processes, absence policies and employment contracts.

Separate reforms to bereavement leave, including pregnancy loss, are planned for 2027.

How we can help

  • Advise on payroll costs and sick pay obligations.
  • Support the management of frequent or long-term absences, including potential discrimination issues.
  • Review and update sickness absence and leave policies.
  • Update employment contracts.
Removal of the unfair dismissal compensatory award cap Scheduled from 1 January 2027

What this means for employers

  • The cap on compensatory awards for ordinary unfair dismissal claims is due to be removed.
  • This may increase financial exposure when dismissing employees, particularly higher earners.
  • Employers should assess potential liabilities carefully when managing dismissals, redundancies and settlement negotiations.

How we can help

  • Advise on fixed-term contracts, redundancies and dismissals.
  • Calculate and assess potential liabilities and financial exposure during employee negotiations.
  • Represent employers in Employment Tribunal claims.

Information reviewed in October 2026. Future implementation dates remain subject to parliamentary processes and may change.

Prepare your business for the changes

Contact Us Without Obligation. Our Regulatory Department can help you review your contracts, policies and procedures, manage employment risks and plan your next steps.

Jon Dunkley

Head of Regulatory — Employment Specialist

jon.dunkley@wollens.co.uk 01271 341021

Marco Floreale

Regulatory — Head of Sports Law

marco.floreale@wollens.co.uk 01803 396639

Our Expertise

Restructuring & Redundancies

Restructuring and redundancies are often necessary steps for businesses facing financial challenges, market changes, or evolving operational needs. While these processes can be critical for long-term sustainability, they must be…

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Settlement Agreements

A settlement agreement, formerly known as a compromise agreement, is a legally binding contract between an employer and an employee or former employee. It can be used to end an…

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Accreditations

Employment Law - Wollens Solicitors Devon
Employment Law - Wollens Solicitors Devon
Employment Law - Wollens Solicitors Devon
Employment Law - Wollens Solicitors Devon
Employment Law - Wollens Solicitors Devon

A Guide For Employers

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