Employment Law Experts Dismayed Over Late Employee Procedure

by Sam Mitchell - Legal Associate

16 July 2010, filed under Employment

In business one thing companies try to do is cut down on improper time management to enhance a company’s bottom line. In one legal allegation, employment law experts are dismayed over bosses and owners of companies procedures regarding late employees. Employment law experts are stating companies are not properly disciplining their employees and are instead taking unnecessary actions.

A recent study regarding lateness showed British businesses are losing £1.8 billion each year, and stressed out bosses and owners are now trying to fire employees who have been late 2 to 3 times. In fact 1 out of every 6 business owners stated they would be terminating late employees. However, there are rules for an owner or boss to follow when it comes to late employees and employment law.

Bosses must document each and every late occurrence for the employees. They must be objective and provide fair warning in writing. Employees also need to be given a chance to correct the issue. Legally being late for work is filed under general misconduct and does not warrant dismissal for the first instance.

Since the study has been released about how employers want to deal with their employees, employment laws regarding lateness and termination have been brought up. Experts in employment contracts fear employers will be taken to the employment tribunal if they do not follow the rules. It is quite possible late employees could be reinstated and financial compensation could be provided.

Warnings from the Tribunal Service have been issued as they have seen an increase in tribunal cases since last year. In 2009, 151,000 cases were sent before the tribunal. For 2010 they have seen 236,100 which is a 56 percent increase and the year is not over.

The warning from the Tribunal encourages all employers to look over employment laws to make sure they understand the legal issues they must adhere to. Furthermore, they are being encouraged to hand out employee handbooks. By handing out the handbooks with employment law policies stated an employer could cut down on tribunal cases, reinstatement, and any compensation. The employee would have documentation and could not state they were not warned properly.