Employee handbook meaning

The employer and its advisers ought to reflect on the following matters: Preparatory steps From the employer, gather: a copy of the departing employee’s latest employment contract and any other documents setting out contractual terms (note: these might sit within a staff handbook) particulars of the employee’s contractual benefits pertinent details about the employee’s pension entitlements information on any shares/share options held by the employee; review the Articles of Association, any relevant shareholder agreement, and share scheme documentation. See also Shares and share options below Status of negotiations Will discussions occur directly between the parties, or via their respective legal advisers? How robust is the employer’s bargaining position? How credible are the employee’s existing or potential claims? For any dismissal, is there a fair reason and has a fair procedure been followed? Is the employer in repudiatory breach? What is the employer initially...

This flowchart outlines the steps in a disciplinary process addressing suspected employee misconduct: from fact-finding into the allegation(s), through holding a disciplinary meeting and deciding any sanction, to administering an appeal. Click below to open or print the full-size PDF version: Note 1—dealing with an allegation of misconduct When assessing whether the matter amounts to possible misconduct, it may also be necessary to examine the employee’s contract, the employer’s staff handbook and any other applicable policies or procedures beyond the disciplinary/dismissal procedure, for example an equality/equal opportunities policy or an expenses policy. Remember that a situation that initially appears to be misconduct could instead be a performance or capability issue. See Practice Note: Managing conduct—Dealing with conduct issues. Where a conduct issue arises, the first step is to investigate promptly and without undue delay to establish the facts of the case. Note 2—using mediation In appropriate circumstances, mediation may be considered as part of, or in parallel with, the disciplinary process. If both parties agree to...

The employee (and their adviser) should consider the following issues: Preparatory steps Gather: a copy of the employee’s most recent employment contract and any other documents setting out contractual terms (these might be found in a staff handbook) a P45 or the latest payslip details of the contractual benefits the employee receives relevant information about the employee’s pension benefits relevant details of any shares or share options held by the employee. Review the Articles of Association, any applicable shareholder agreement and share scheme documents. See also Shares and share options below copies of pertinent open correspondence and without prejudice communications between employer and employee Define the scope of the advice and reflect this in the client care letter/terms of business, i.e.: is the advice limited to the terms and effect of the settlement agreement (to satisfy the relevant condition regulating settlement agreements)? is...

In this issue: Employee benefit trusts Budgets, Autumn Statements and Finance Bills Remuneration issues for financial services firms Useful Information Weekly highlights from other practice areas Employee benefit trusts JTC Employer Solutions Trustee Ltd (as trustee of the Henderson Family Benefit Trust) Garnett [2024] EWHC 3128 (Ch) This claim sought rescission of a number of deeds of appointment made under two employee benefit trusts (EBTs). The appointments established sub-trusts for named employees and their families under each trust and, in HMRC’s assessment, caused the appointed assets to fall outside the exemption in section 86 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (Section 86), thereby creating potential inheritance tax exposures. The claimants argued that the appointments were executed on the mistaken assumption that the assets would remain within the Section 86 exemption, and that this error was sufficiently serious to justify setting the deeds aside. HMRC, in correspondence, raised objections that included the prospect of refusing relief on public policy...

In this issue: EMI Employee benefit trusts Regulatory matters Trackers Dates for your diary Weekly highlights from other practice areas EMI HMRC updates ETASSUM for increased EMI thresholds and period for exercise HMRC has revised the guidance in its Employee Tax Advantaged Share Scheme User Manual to reflect higher thresholds and a longer exercise period, which will take effect for the majority of EMI-eligible companies from 6 April 2026, pursuant to Finance Act 2026, s 13. ETASSUM updated accordingly...

Recent years have seen a sharp rise in workplace investigations, a pattern that shows little sign of slowing. This increase largely stems from the mounting complexity of grievances confronting employers within an ever-changing, evolving work setting. In this climate, it is vital that investigations are carried out rigorously, impartially and efficiently, as any failure can result in a flawed process and leave employers exposed to potential litigation. In this article, we consider some of the questions clients ask most frequently about managing a workplace investigation and how best to navigate these challenging situations, offering practical pointers on approach and process in practice. 1. What should an employer do if an employee raises concerns but does not wish to proceed with a formal complaint? This issue arises regularly in practice and is challenging for employers, since in many instances an investigation cannot commence without a formal complaint. Nevertheless, employers can still assist the employee by signposting the relevant policies and handbook, pointing them towards company supports such as...

The Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES) is a five-year sandbox for financial market infrastructure, created to support periodic secondary dealing in the shares of private companies. Put in place under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 through the Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System Sandbox Regulations 2025 SI 2025/583 (the PISCES Regulations 2025), the regime aims to bridge the ‘liquidity gap’ between fully private capital markets and the UK’s public markets, including AIM and the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market for listed securities. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) oversees and administers PISCES and, in June 2025, published its final rules for the sandbox within the PISCES Sourcebook (PS), alongside consequential amendments to the FCA Handbook, as detailed in FCA Policy Statement PS25/6: Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System: Sandbox Arrangements (June 2025). This Practice Note outlines the PISCES regime, setting out the regulatory framework and offering practical guidance on how it is intended to operate....

This Practice Note explains the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) training and competence regime. The framework underpins the FCA’s consumer protection objective, aiming to ensure that staff who engage with customers in the regulated financial services market are competent and appropriately qualified to do so. The training and competence framework comprises: an overarching competence obligation (the ‘competent employees rule’) applying to individuals undertaking regulated activity in all UK‑authorised firms (including wholesale firms), as set out in the Senior Management Arrangements, Systems and Controls sourcebook (SYSC); and more granular requirements for particular retail activities, including the need to obtain a qualification where relevant, as provided in the Training and Competence sourcebook (TC) The regime should also be viewed in light of the FCA Consumer Duty in Principle 12 of the FCA Handbook (PRIN 12), which mandates that a firm must act to deliver good outcomes for retail clients. FCA guidance on the Consumer Duty notes that, for example, as part of data monitoring,...

This Practice Note This Practice Note explores why an employer may issue an employee handbook or employee manual (also known as a staff handbook, staff manual or company policy manual). It sets out typical contents and how to present terms that must be reasonably accessible, covering disciplinary and grievance frameworks, holiday pay, sickness absence and pay, contractual and non-contractual policies, workplace rules and procedures, intranet publication, gender neutrality, the contractual status of policies, whether terms can be incorporated, permanent health (PHI) and other insurance, and how to make changes or amendments. It also references the Lexis®Smart Precedent employee handbook and other relevant documents. Certain aspects of the employment and worker relationship must appear in a written statement of particulars of employment given to the employee or worker (see Practice Note: Written statements of employment particulars). Those particulars are often placed within the employee’s contract of employment. Other terms must also be in writing but only need to be reasonably accessible. Employers can present them as separate documents, a...

From: [ insert name ] [ of OR whose registered office is at ] [ insert address ], [ company registration number ] (we or us) To: [ insert name ] of [ insert address ] (‘you’) Dated: [ insert date ] 1 Introduction 1.1 As at [ insert date ], this statement sets out the particulars of your employment with us, which we are obliged to provide under the Employment Rights Act 1996. 1.2 [ You should read this statement alongside the Employee Handbook [ which, where indicated in the Handbook, forms part of your contract of employment ], a copy of which [ is available from [ state source ] OR you acknowledge has been made available to you ]. Should there be any inconsistency between these documents, the terms contained in [ this statement ] will take precedence. ] 2 Start date 2.1 Your employment [ and your period of continuous employment ] commenced on [ insert date ]. 2.2 [...

[ To be typed on headed notepaper of employer ] [ Insert date ] Dear [ insert name of employee ], Re: [ insert name of employer ] (the Company) Further to our recent conversation, during which I explained concerns regarding [ insert details ], the Company has decided that these matters are sufficiently significant to require your attendance at a [ performance OR capability ] meeting. [ I enclose a copy of the Company's [ Performance and capability at work policy ] for your reference OR You can find a copy of the Company's [ Performance and capability at work policy ] in [ the Company’s staff handbook OR [ specify document ] ] ], and please focus in particular on pages [ insert page numbers ]. The meeting is set for [ insert date ] at [ insert time ] and will be held at [ insert location ]. It is essential that you attend...

1 Introduction 1.1 This policy explains the Company’s approach to sharing tips, gratuities and service charges (collectively referred to as ‘tips’ for simplicity), in accordance with the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 (Tipping Act 2023) and the statutory Code of Practice. It outlines how tips will be distributed amongst staff, the process we will adopt, and the timing of payments. 1.2 This policy covers: 1.2.1 cash tips left by customers; 1.2.2 [ [ discretionary ] service charges added to the customer’s bill and paid by the customer; ] 1.2.3 tips paid by card, or via an alternative electronic method eg mobile phone app. 1.3 This policy applies to all employees, workers and agency workers engaged by us [ in our restaurant(s) ]. It will be made available to all our staff [ on the Company intranet OR in the Employee Handbook ]. Agency workers will be supplied with a copy [ by us at the start of their engagement...