As an employer, you should do everything that you can to enable your employees to do their jobs to the best of their ability, but there are times when we fail at this. A result of this failure could be that you get taken to court by an ex-employee, which can cause you a headache and give you something else to worry about regards your business.
There are many reasons an employer may get taken to court by a former employee, and sometimes the reasons are genuine, and sometimes not. Below are some of the most common reasons employers get taken to court by former employees, so you can help avoid making these mistakes.
Unfair Dismissal
One of the most common reasons for a lawsuit from a former employee is unfair dismissal. There may have been a breach of contract by the employer, or the former worker may have turned into a whistle-blower highlighting unsafe practices in the company. Some people find themselves out of a job when they take holidays they are entitled to or refusing to work additional hours to those of their contract. Whatever the reason your former employee is taking you to court for unfair dismissal, you need to address the situation head-on, as it will not go away.
Changes To Working Hours
You can also find yourself being taken to a tribunal when you forcibly change the contracted hours your employees work. If they feel they have no choice but to change their hours or lose their job, it can also turn into a constructive dismissal case, so you need to be careful when changing employee contracts. If you do not consult your workers regards this and try and force them to change their working hours, it can make a headache for you, and some employees may decide to take legal action against your company. It is often best to start mediation as soon as possible, and you can get an outsourced employment tribunal representation UK or other companies in your country that can help you deal with the situation.
Discrimination
Another reason former employees may take their former employers to court is discrimination, which can come in many forms. The law is concise in this area, and you are not allowed to discriminate against employees for any reason. There are many ways that you can discriminate against an employee, including:
- Age
- Sex
- Race
- Sexuality
- Gender Identity
- Religion
- Disability
When you discriminate against employees for any of the above reasons, or anything else that singles them out, you are opening yourself up to being taken to court. Not only will this take up your time, money, and effort to deal with this in court, it also gives your company bad publicity, which is something you will want to avoid. It is important to consult with UK employment law consultancy services or similar services in your area.
Equality Disputes
You can also face legal action when a former employee, or a current one, disputes equality within the workplace. If it is documented that some workers receive favourable treatment over others, you could be facing a discrimination charge and be held to account for this. There are many more reasons why employees will take their employers or former employers to court, and you may need to find a company specialising in employment law to help you.