Summary
Our SLA provides unlimited advice on any employment law and HR issue together with on-site support at ALL employee meetings including carrying out investigations. We charge a fixed price per employee, per year and offer a 5% discount for a three-year contract.
The SLA runs from the moment you pick up the phone, up to an employment tribunal claim being issued. At that point, we would continue to act for you at an additional cost that would be agreed with you in advance, providing a seamless service and complete peace of mind.
Features and benefits
- Unlimited employment law and HR advice on any employment law and HR issue.
- Unlimited onsite HR support at all employee meetings, to cover disciplinary hearings (including investigatory meetings), grievances, appeals, reorganisation, redundancy and absence management.
- At least one proactive catch up meeting per term.
- Headteacher and SLT support.
- Support at LADO meetings.
- Managing sickness absence issues including attendance at welfare meetings and instructing medical experts to prepare reports.
- Managing reorganisations and redundancy consultations.
- Drafting bespoke letters to employees, including management instructions.
- Communicating with TU representatives.
- Drafting and negotiating Settlement Agreements.
- Regular employment law and HR updates.
- Policy and procedure updates.
ONLINE ENQUIRY
Unlimited advice and on-site support at ALL employee meetings and carrying out investigations
Employment Tribunals
If an employment tribunal claim is issued we would continue to act for you at an additional cost that would be agreed with you in advance.
Any claim would be dealt with by John Cook who has over 30 years’ experience conducting employment tribunal claims. He will deal with every step of the claim up to a final hearing, if necessary, where counsel would be instructed.
We can obtain an independent insurance quote for legal costs and awards cover of either £500,000 or £1,000,000. The approximate cost of the policy is as follows:-
| Level of cover | Annual Cost* |
|---|---|
| £500,000 | £1,300 |
| £1,000,000 | £1,750 |
We would need to obtain a specific quote on your behalf.
This can be a top up to the RPA (Risk Protection Arrangement), provided via the Department for Education, if you have it.
Employment Tribunal Cost Information and Key Stages
Our fees for dealing with employment tribunal cases will depend on the complexity of the case. The typical fees are set out below:-
| Case Type | Fee* | VAT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Case | |||
| Typically a 1 day hearing, 2 witnesses | £10,000 to £20,000 | £2,000 to £4,000 | £12,000 to £24,000 |
| Medium Complexity Case | |||
| Typically a 2 day hearing, 4 witnesses | £20,000 to £30,000 | £4,000 to £6,000 | £24,000 to £36,000 |
| High Complexity Case | |||
| Typically a 3 day hearing**, 6 witnesses | £30,000 to £60,000 | £6,000 to £12,000 | £36,000 to £72,000 |
**There is an additional charge for attending an employment tribunal hearing over three days of £2,000 plus vat per day for each additional day.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties.
At the employment tribunal you will be represented by counsel. Counsel’s fees are estimated at between £2,000 (plus vat of £400) and £10,000 (plus vat of £2,000) per day, depending on the level of experience of the particular counsel.
Factors that affect the complexity of a case
- If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim.
- Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person.
- Making or defending a costs application.
- Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties).
- The number of witnesses and documents.
- If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. whistleblowing, transfer of undertakings.
- Discrimination claims.
Key Stages
- Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation.
- Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached.
- Preparing your response.
- Reviewing and advising on the claim from the other party.
- Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process.
- Considering a schedule of loss.
- Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing.
- Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents.
- Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses.
- Preparing bundle of documents.
- Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements.
- Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list.
- Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel.
Services excluded
Our services (within the scope of this costs information) will not include any of the following:
- Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal.
- Advice relating to tax i.e. the tax treatment of any settlement; and
- Advice relating to pensions.
Approximate/average timescales
The time that it takes from your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 5 -10 weeks. If the claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 6 to 18 months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as your case progresses.
