Small businesses helped with Employment Law

A new service has been launched by the Jersey Advisory and Conciliation Service (JACS) to help small businesses comply with the essential requirements of the Employment Law, such as providing staff with contracts and pay slips.

 

The outreach service will be available at times and places to suit the employer, such as visiting out-of-town workplaces outside normal office hours, and will be offered proactively to employers, typically those employing ten or fewer employees. Employers can also contact JACS direct to request the service.

 

Minister for Social Security, Senator Francis Le Gresley, said “I am mindful that employers in small businesses often find it difficult to take time away from the workplace to seek advice and training from JACS and some employers do not seek help until a problem arises. Other employers see employment legislation as too complex and as a barrier to employing staff. This independent service is a direct response to these concerns.”

 

The purpose of the outreach advisory service is to give straightforward and practical advice to employers and to help them develop a toolkit of employment documents, including terms of employment, pay slips and policies and procedures, such as a disciplinary and grievance procedure.

 

Director of JACS, David Witherington, said “JACS always strives to be accessible and to improve employment relations and so we are very enthusiastic about this new outreach service. The outreach adviser will help employers to get their paperwork in order so that they can meet the requirements of the Employment Law when recruiting, or when difficulties arise.

 

"JACS has always enjoyed good relationships with employers and this new service will allow us to target small employers to help them address any potential problem areas. We will survey users to find out whether the service has been helpful to them and we look forward to making this a success during the coming year.”

 

Senator Le Gresley said “I am grateful to the director of JACS and his team for making the necessary preparations to make this pilot scheme a reality only eight weeks after we first discussed it. I think that employers will find this a very useful service, and I believe that targeting additional support in this way will prove to be a great success.”