Employers Checklist: Your legal obligationsPosted: 25.01.2012

When you employ someone, you take on a number of legal obligations and a number of risks that you are advised to mitigate against. Real People have put together a detailed guidance note and this brief checklist to help you meet all of your responsibilities and are legally complaint.

• Check the right to work of all your employees
• Complete criminal record bureau checks (where relevant)
• Issue a contract of employment within the first two months of employment
• Provide employees with a job description
• Check qualifications and skills
• Consider the rights of your part-time workers
• Consider the rights of your fixed-term contract employees
• Check you are in line with statutory notice periods
• Check compliance with appropriate Working Time Regulations – working hours and leave
• Ensure your pay is compliant with the following regulations:
→ National Minimum Wage
→ Tax
→ National Insurance
→ Pay statement specifications
→ Equal pay
→ Holiday pay
→ Sick pay

• The Pensions Act (2008) and subsequent amendments from 2012
• Fulfil your on-going responsibilities as an employer
• Ensure your compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act
• Are you protected? Check your Employers Liability Insurance provisions
• Does your staff handbook comply with the necessary employment law, employee entitlements and protect the well being of your staff?
• Do you comply with the Agency Workers Regulations 2010.

Remember it is your responsibility to make sure you fulfil these obligations and employment law frequently changes so you may need to change your procedures regularly. 

Real People can help you to do this in a practical way that doesn’t tie you in knots and of course if you are concerned about any particular issues on this or any other employment matter please feel free to contact us at:
Real People on 0207 710 0626.