Acas launches new help for small firms with people problems

A pilot mediation scheme to help small companies deal with employment law related problems was launched today by Rita Donaghy, Acas Chair. The scheme, for companies employing fewer than 50 people, will be piloted in the Yorkshire and Humber region and East London, starting on 1 October 2003.

The free scheme will provide simple, practical and confidential advice to help small companies and the people that work in them to resolve employment law related problems. The help available from Acas advisers includes:
Visiting an employer to advise on the range of action available to deal with a particular problem and the possible legal consequences
Mediating between employees with a dispute by getting them to talk to each other on ways they can work together
Investigating a problem and, with the agreement of an employer and their employees, making recommendations on how to deal with the problem
Providing an independent person to hear an employeeís appeal against dismissal or disciplinary action where there is no other suitable person in the organization to do so

Speaking at the Acas Yorkshire and Humber office in Leeds, Rita Donaghy said:

AMany small businesses are worried that they may fall foul of employment regulations but donít have the time to keep up with what they should be doing. Every year thousands of people put in applications to take their employer to an employment tribunal. Yet often with a little help and discussion at an earlier stage, this could have been avoided.

ìAcas has many yearsí practical experience of sorting out conflict in the workplace. What we have learnt from mediating in both large-scale group and individual disputes means we can help stop them happening in the first place. The Department of Trade and Industry asked Acas to follow up a recommendation from the Better Regulation Task Force ñ set up to look at how life could be made easier for small businesses ñ to try out this new service. We will be running the pilot until early next year, using the results and feedback to decide the next stage.î