LEADING North East commercial law firm, Muckle LLP is offering reassurance to businesses looking to unravel the complex area of employment legislation in the current marketplace.

The economic downturn is impacting on employer and employee relations. Acas recently reported that the number of employment claims citing unfair dismissal as the main ground of complaint have increased during the recession from 33,352 last year to 43,028 this year, a jump of 29 per cent. Redundancy pay claims were also up this year to 3,938 from 2,891, an increase of 36 per cent, with redundancy, lay-offs and business transfers becoming the most common issues for organisations.

In response to this, Muckle LLP is helping organisations to ensure that they comply with current employment legislation by offering its comprehensive employment protection insurance, Mi Shield. The insurance service is designed to give businesses peace of mind by offering pragmatic advice from employment lawyers for an all inclusive fixed cost.

Tony McPhillips, head of the employment services group at Muckle LLP, said: “There has never been a more important time for businesses to stay abreast of their employer and employee obligations.

“Breaching employment legislation can be extremely costly for businesses, with employers facing a maximum compensatory award of £66,200, plus a maximum basic award of £10,500 for unfair dismissal. There are also those immeasurable losses that include management time, staff morale and corporate reputation.

“We have a great deal of expertise in advising on all aspects of employment law at Muckle LLP and Mi Shield provides businesses with direct access to our specialist solicitors, who can advise on the best course of action in both complex and simple situations. Our experts can be contacted for advice on the slightest query, without the worry of incurring any additional costs.”