Making A Formal Complaint At Work

Most people will experience a concern about their work, working conditions or a colleague at some point in their working lives.  Gillian Reid Head of Employment at Ware & Kay in York, Wetherby & Malton advises how handling it properly can mean that it can be resolved quickly, before it escalates.  If you have a problem at work, how should you tackle it? Do you have a grievance? A grievance is a problem or concern that you have about your work, working conditions, pay or relationships with colleagues.  For example: you believe that your overtime has been calculated wrongly and you have been underpaid; you feel that your workload is excessive and you are struggling to cope; a colleague is harassing you because of your religion; or following an illness or injury, you would…

Love Thy Neighbour

There's an old saying that we don't choose our relatives, and equally it's very rare that we choose our neighbours. Fortunately, most of us are lucky to get on with those living next to us.However, for those who are not so fortunate, the time when it was relatively inexpensive to move, if you didn't get on with your neighbours, has long since gone. Apart from the stresses and strains of running battles with those living next door, disputes can be a problem when you come to sell. If you have a dispute with your neighbour, this has to be disclosed to anyone interested in buying your property. Some potential buyers may not be worried about a dispute you have with your neighbours, but many will not take such a relaxed attitude. The moral in all…

Lending To Friends And Family

There can be all sorts of reasons for lending money to friends or family, from helping loved ones through a tough time, to perhaps putting a deposit down on a property, helping out with home alterations or assisting in the purchase of a car. Understandably we all prefer to take it on trust that we will be repaid and that there won't be any falling out. Things can go wrong, however. We live in tough economic times. The person you lend to might suffer a relationship breakdown or become one of the increasing number who lose their job or are made bankrupt. If you are lending a modest sum of money, which you feel you can afford to lose with good grace, that is one thing. But what about a larger sum of money which…

Tackling Pregnancy And Maternity Discrimination In The Workplace

As an employer it can be difficult to balance the needs of your business with the rights of employees. This is particularly true in relation to pregnancy and maternity rights.  However, most employers would agree that it is in their interests to support employees who are pregnant or on maternity leave. If an employee feels they have been treated unfairly due to their pregnancy or maternity leave, they may be entitled to make a discrimination claim. Gillian Reid, employment law specialist at Ware & Kay Solicitors in York & Wetherby, looks at the rights of pregnant employees, and those on maternity leave, and advises how employers can avoid discrimination claims. The different types of discrimination Pregnancy and maternity are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination in the workplace. Pregnancy and maternity…