“I am the law!” barks Judge Dredd, scratching his stubble and bundling another unfortunate soul into the back of a police van. But you wouldn’t want this comic book vigilante to represent you in court.
For a start, he’d probably intimidate the jury with his stomping jackboots and gruff demeanor. And he’d never have the specialist knowledge for the nuances of the justice system, such as employment law.
Indeed, the employment tribunal system has so many bylaws, regulations, clauses, and sections that even top criminal lawyers would tackle the world of employment with limited success.
Employment law specialists are a vital sector in the legal world – and they could get you out of a pickle with your employer.
A monster of a boss
We’ve all worked with nightmare bosses. You know the type – cackling at health and safety legislation while dropping cigar ash on their wife-beater vests, making sexist comments, and doling out mandatory overtime. Bastards, basically.
It would be lovely if you could hire Judge Dredd to cart these horrendous individuals away – but the law can go one step better.
By contacting a specialist you can put your employer bang to rights. You might even receive substantial compensation for your troubles.
But the problems don’t always stem from your boss. The difficulties of a workplace can be severe at the best of the times when you’ve got different personalities rubbing against each other. It’s when these problems are allowed to snowball that complications arise.
With equality laws in place, the need for a workplace without discrimination is high. In many cases, it’s the only way businesses can run a tight ship.
Bullied out of work
And in the UK, the problem is dire. According to news site Huffington Post, Britons are the most bullied workers in the world, with seven in 10 people admitting to being humiliated by their boss or colleagues.
Alan Townsend, Chief Operating Officer of employment specialists Monster UK and Ireland, said, “Employers are responsible for a worker’s health, safety and welfare while at work and should provide an atmosphere where people can get on with their job.
“All companies should ensure they have clear policies and procedures for employees that are followed through by management. This can then prevent potentially dangerous outcomes such as poor workplace morale, lost productivity, litigation, and health costs.”
What Alan is describing is an idealized version of workplace relations. Sometimes, employers can be unreasonable or lack sensitivities to their workers.
Sometimes, co-workers will pick on their peers to the point of harassment. And, in the most extreme situations, you’ll be subjected to such a high level of sexist or racist abuse that your position is no longer tenable.
This is what employment law is designed for. So, if you’re seeking advice, you know who to call.
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