24/7 HR & Employment Law Advice

Employment law for small business owners made easier

Running your own team is rewarding, but we know you'd rather be getting on with business than be buried in paperwork. Whether it’s a quick chat about an employee return to work form, or long-term support with an employment tribunal representation, we’re here for you.

24/7 advice

Access unlimited, round-the-clock advice from our employment advice line, staffed by employment solicitors in the UK. From contracts to policies, we’re by your side to answer your questions, so you can get back to business.

Paperwork sorted

Hiring your first employee? Don’t want to spend hours searching for the right employment documents? We've made it simple to manage and grow your team, whether you have one employee or 100.

Insurance savings

Save thousands with employment tribunal cover included in membership. Our specialist and experienced employment solicitors and barristers are ready to represent you if you're facing an employment tribunal, with cover of up to £100,000 per claim.*

Already an FSB member? Log in to your member dashboard to access this benefit.

Practical solutions for your small business.

Need help with employment law? We've got you covered.

If you have issues with staff members, they're there to answer your call and really help get your stress levels down.

✔ No legal jargon, just the facts. Compliance is confusing enough, which is why if you’ve got a question, our experienced employment solicitors are only a phone call away.

✔ When it comes to paperwork, we’ve done all the hard work for you. All you need to do is search our online hub, download the fully compliant template and customise it.

✔ No two small businesses are the same. If you're managing lone workers, remote employees, temporary staff or pregnant workers, access advice you can trust on a range of employment scenarios.

Stay on the right side of employment law

Whether you’re hiring for the first time, growing your team or saying goodbye to employees, you’ll have guidance and advice throughout the process.

Recruitment resources

Documents for finding the right staff, including job descriptions, person specifications, and application forms.

Employee Relations

We can help with challenging situations, such as guidance on performance reviews, grievance handling, and disciplinary procedures.

Redundancy and restructuring

We can provide expert advice on redundancy processes, lay-offs, and transfers of workers.

Exit management services

Assistance with resignation and retirement procedures, final pay calculations, and handover processes.

Dismissal and termination

Guidance on fair dismissal procedures, legal compliance, and risk mitigation.

Tailored to your team

No two small businesses are the same. Whether it's lone workers, remote employees, temporary staff or pregnant workers, access advice you can trust.

Start your membership now

Unlock big savings on business essentials when you join the Federation of Small Businesses. FSB Employment Protection is just one of many member benefits designed to help small business owners like you to succeed.

Join now

Frequently asked questions

Why are employment contracts so important?

When you hire a new member of staff, it’s a legal requirement to provide a written contract. This is also known as a statement of particulars of employment. The purpose of this is to set expectation about the relationship between you and your employee. For example, shift patterns, holiday entitlements and other policies.

aving evidence of an employee’s terms and conditions reduces the risk of disputes and employment tribunals. This can be complex, which is why we offer our members easy to use templates for contracts, letters, policies and more as part of membership.

Find out more about what to include in employment contracts ➤

What policies does a small business need when employing people?

Employee handbooks, often given to your new employees during their induction process, introduce your business’ rules, policies, procedures, and expectations. What you include depends on your industry and business needs, and some policies are required by law.

Unlike the legal requirement to provide a written statement of terms and conditions, commonly provided as an employment contract, there’s no legal requirement for having a staff handbook.

There are a few policies that are required by law, but these may already be included in your contracts of employment.

The template employment contract available to FSB members on the FSB Legal and Business Hub includes a disciplinary policy and grievance policy, although the procedures are non-contractual. If you have five or more employees, you must have your health and safety policy in writing.

FSB members can access further employment guidance via:

Member Dashbord> FSB Legal and Business Hub ➤

What to do when you’re facing an employment dispute?

To maximise your chances of having reasonable prospects of success in employment disputes, we strongly recommend that you seek legal advice at the following times and follow their advice:

Before disciplining, suspending, dismissing, starting a retirement or redundancy process or making or proposing to make unfavourable changes to the terms of an employee’s contract of employment
When notified of a grievance, a complaint of discrimination (such as sex, race, religion etc.) or an appeal from an employee against action you have taken against them
When an employee resigns or walks out after expressing verbal or written dissatisfaction
Or at the very least comply with the ACAS code of conduct, which our legal advice line can also advise you on.

What about payroll and workplace pensions?

Of course, a key aspect of employment is your payroll duties! There are many areas to consider when it comes to compliance, from triennial reviews and workplace pensions contributions to getting the right information on payslips.

Learn more about FSB Payroll and Pensions ➤

Can you help with employment tribunals?

Yes! FSB members have access to valuable insurance benefits, including employment tribunal insurance. This cover can provide you with peace of mind, knowing that you're protected from the financial costs associated with employment disputes.

Learn more about the FSB Legal Protection Scheme ➤

_{* Subject to policy terms and conditions being satisfied. Exclusions apply.}