Workplace Support
The employment team at Neumans LLP has experience in dealing with problems and situations that arise from the workplace and offer a great deal of support including drafting grievances, attending disciplinary hearings and preparing Tribunal claims.
Disciplinary Hearings and Internal Investigations
The employment team at Neumans LLP has experience in dealing with investigations and internal disciplinary hearings that involve regulated professionals. We have advised and represented clients during the investigations stage and at internal disciplinary hearings (including providing legal representation).
If you have been suspended or are under investigation, please contact us as a matter of urgency. It is often beneficial to get advice at this stage, rather than waiting until the matter becomes external. Teachers may be legally represented at GTC hearings.
The investigations/disciplinary process can sometimes last for many months. During this time a teacher may be suspended. Inevitably and understandably, this will be an extremely stressful time for any teacher, as the allegations made often go to the heart of their professional practice. Having acted for and advised teachers, Neumans is well aware of the hard work that teachers undertake and the dedication they show to their role and are fully aware of the pressures facing teachers including inadequate support and inadequate funding.
Legal Representation at Internal Disciplinary Hearings
There is no automatic right to legal representation at a disciplinary hearing. However recent case law (including Kulkarni v Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and R (X) v Governors of (X) School and (Y) Council) suggests that the law is moving towards allowing legal representation in certain circumstances, especially when the employment is regulated by an external body. Teachers are regulated externally by the General Teaching Council (GTC) for England. Anything that occurs inside (or even outside) of employment that calls into question the suitability of a teacher to remain on the register can have far reaching GTC consequences.
Grievances
We have advised and given assistance on workplace grievances. This has included drafting grievances, liaising with employers and attending grievance meetings, analyses of findings and using grievances as a basis for employment tribunal claims or settlements. We have been successful in crafting grievances and using them later on as the basis for favourable settlements.
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