Safety checks

By law you must provide employees with written particulars of the main terms and conditions of employment. A contract of employment can be written, oral or implied but commits you and your employee to mutual obligations, so it is in the interests of both parties to have terms and conditions in writing.

You have a legal obligation to provide employees, who are employed for one month or longer, with a written statement setting out the main particulars.

Employees must be given the statement within two months of starting work and it must include the name of the employer and employee, hours of work and date when employment commences. It is important you mention notice period entitlements, details of holiday entitlement and pension provisions.

Employees must be given notification about any proposed changes you wish to make to written particulars as soon as possible and no later than one month after they are made. Employees who think they have not been given a written statement of particulars or notification of changes within the normal time parameters may refer the matter to an Employment Tribunal.

A former employee can take this course of action up to three months after the end of their employment.

If a question arises about the accuracy or sufficiency of the written particulars, employees should raise the issue with employers. If you fail to take action the individual may take their complaint to Employment Tribunal.

It is unlawful to dismiss employees who try to enforce entitlements they think they are entitled to.

It is also good practice to include the health and safety work policy and make it clear employees have a duty to work safely just as much as the employer has the duty to provide their safe working environment.

And if you employ more than five staff you are required to have a health and safety policy and are also required to publish it.