Top ten HR tips for 2006

HRD and Payroll Solutions, authors of our HR tips series present their top ten tips for a claim-free new year.

1. Three-two-one:
Several of our clients have looked at the new three-step statutory discipline and dismissal procedures that came into force just over a year ago and concluded that there is nothing to worry about. Their existing procedures require them to give reasonable notice of formal disciplinary hearings, arrange for the employee to be accompanied, present the complaint, consider the response, give their decision and offer an appeal.

Just as the statutory procedures demand. But they fail on two points. Their domestic procedures do not require them to summon the employee in writing, nor do they provide for any written evidence to be sent in advance. The first error would be to make a dismissal automatically unfair whilst the second might be to do so since it suggests unreasonable behaviour.