eric-whitehead
01538 755 761
New Personnel
Everybody joining the firm will have an induction as it is important that they learn about the firm’s policies and procedures and the firm’s culture as quickly as possible. Induction material will primarily revolve around firm’s policies and procedures and immediate training requirements.
It is normal practice that all new employees are subject to a three-month trial period. At the end of the trial period, a decision will be made upon whether to offer the employee a position within the firm.
All employees are to be appropriately screened to assess their risk from an anti-money laundering (AML) perspective. Please refer to our People Management Procedures for more details.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
The firm is committed to eliminating unlawful discrimination and to promoting equality and diversity within our policies, practices, and procedures. We are also committed to promoting equality and diversity in the firm. This applies to our professional dealings with clients, staff and directors, other solicitors, barristers, and third parties (see Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy)
Office Hours
Normal working hours are 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday with one hour for lunch. Good timekeeping is of considerable importance and a matter of courtesy to the clients who expect us to be available when the offices are open, and to colleagues who must cover for the late attendance of others.
Holidays and Holiday Pay
Basic holiday entitlement is 24 days holiday per year (pro rata for part time staff). The Directors can specify up to three days a year for holidays to be taken and any additional days are given at the discretion of the Directors. Annual leave requests are made via our online system Access Workspace. Please refer to our People Management Procedures for more details.
Absence through Sickness
It is the responsibility of all members of staff absent through sickness or injury to inform, by telephone, the Finance Director (via Direct Dial 01538 758919) by 9.30 am on the morning of the first day of absence and thereafter to keep the office fully informed on your progress and anticipated return to work. Please refer to our People Management Procedures for more details.
Absence through Official Reasons
For absences for official reasons, e.g., jury service, it is essential that the staff member gives as much notice as is possible to a director. Because of the nature of the firm’s work, in some cases it may be appropriate for the firm to apply for the staff member to be excused from jury service.
Absence on Compassionate Grounds
In certain circumstances, e.g., on bereavement, additional paid leave may be given on compassionate grounds on the authority of a director.
Payment of Salary
Staff are paid calendar monthly in arrears, directly into their bank or building society account on the 22nd of each month.
Overtime
If a member of staff is required to work overtime, the amount of overtime must be agreed in advance by a Director, and the Finance Director must be notified.
Pension Scheme
The firm operates a company pension scheme, which employees are invited to join once they have passed their three-month trial period.
Health and Safety
The health and safety of our employees (whether working in the office or remotely) and visitors to our premises are important to us as a firm. We recognise and accept our legal responsibility to ensure health and safety in the workplace under relevant legislation. Please see our Health and Safety Policy in full however the main responsibilities are to:
- provide and maintain a safe and healthy place of work.
- provide information, instruction, training, and supervision.
- provide and maintain equipment and safe systems of work.
- ensure safe access to and from the places of work; and
- work to prevent accidents and work-related ill health.
Fire Procedure
The Finance Director is the “responsible person” for fire safety on the firm’s premises. To fulfil the duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Finance Director is responsible for taking reasonable steps to reduce the risk from fire and to ensure that people can escape from the firm’s premises if there is a fire. Please see our Health and Safety Policy in full however please note the firms fire procedure:
If you discover a fire:
- Immediately call out for assistance and raise the alarm.
- Provided there is no risk to personal safety, attack the fire, if possible, with the appliances provided.
On the alarm being raised:
- A staff member must call the Fire Brigade immediately.
- All personnel are to leave the building briskly, using whichever exists is easier (depending on the location of the fire). Congregate where indicated at the fire notice (in the car park next to the Annexe).
- If there are any clients in the building at the time the alarm sounds, you should escort the clients with you.
The most senior member of staff present at the time of the fire shall ensure that all employees are assembled outside and that nobody remains in the building. There is an updated employee fire register clipboard in the annexe which is to be used for this purpose.
Display Screen Equipment
We aim to provide a safe and comfortable environment for you to work in. This includes ensuring that display screens (and any associated workspace equipment i.e. chairs, desks, etc.) are set up in a manner that is comfortable for you to prevent upper limb disorders from developing over time.
A risk assessment will be carried out every twelve months as part of the annual review of risk in relation to health and safety. Any problems which arise from the assessment will be addressed as part of the business planning process. Please refer to the firm’s Health & Safety Policy for more details.
Annual Review of Risk in Relation to Health & Safety
The directors shall ensure that an annual review of risk in relation to health and safety is carried out. The Finance Director has been appointed to act as the firm’s Health and Safety Officer. She will carry out an independent annual review of risk in relation to health and safety by reference to a Health and Safety Risk Assessment, or he will appoint a responsible member of staff to do so.
Any issues arising from the risk assessment will be addressed by the directors. Please refer to the firm’s Health & Safety Policy for more details.
Security
If a client or other visitor behaves in a way which causes you concern, inform a director or fee earner immediately. If this is not possible and you feel your personal safety is at risk, telephone the police on emergency number 999. You are unlikely to find yourself in such a situation but should be aware of the possibility of such an occurrence.
Unattended visitors who have come through reception should be asked to fill out the visitor’s book and given a visitor’s lanyard to clearly identify them as being an authorised visitor. If there is anything suspicious about them, if possible, keep them in sight and inform a fee earner. All new clients should be escorted to the meeting room by a member of reception staff of the attending fee earner.
At the end of the day, make sure all doors and windows are locked, and the burglar alarm is engaged. The last person to leave the building should make sure all electrical equipment is switched off.
Staff are warned never to leave personal items of value and money unattended, as the firm cannot accept responsibility for personal losses.
Leaving the Office
All members of staff leaving the office during working hours must sign out at the back door (and sign back in on their return). This is necessary to enable the receptionist to deal with incoming calls, and for in the event of an emergency.
Travelling Expenses etc.
Any staff who, in connection with carrying out their work, are required to travel away from the office in which they work, are entitled to claim travelling expenses as follows.
Travelling in your own car – mileage is claimed at the prevailing rate, plus any car parking charges (but not any parking fine). Staff who use their car in connection with work must have insurance cover to do so, and such cover should include having work colleagues or clients as passengers.
If travelling by train, then expenses are paid at the standard class fare.
Expenses should be claimed as and when they are incurred by completing a memorandum to the Accounts Department.
Disciplinary Rules and Procedures
It is necessary to have disciplinary rules in the interests of the whole firm. The rules set standards of performance and behaviour, whilst the procedures are designed to help promote fairness and order in the treatment of individuals.
It is the intention that the rules and procedures should emphasise and encourage improvement in the conduct of individuals, where they are failing to meet the required standards, and not simply be a means of punishment.
Please refer to our People Management Procedures for more details.
Grievance Procedure
It is essential that if an employee feels dissatisfied with any matter relating to their work, they should have immediate means by which their grievance can be aired and resolved.
This procedure is not intended to prevent employees from raising any matter they wish to mention. Informal discussions can often solve problems without the need for written records but if an employee wishes to formally record and have their grievance investigated, they should make this clear from the start.
Please refer to our People Management Procedures for more details.
Staff Recruitment
The firm considers its recruitment and training needs as part of the annual business planning process. Please refer to our People Management Procedures for more details.
Appraisal Scheme
Each member of the firm shall have a performance appraisal at least once every year. Appraisals are carried out by a director.
Please refer to our Learning & Development Policy for more details.
Training
It is the policy of the firm to maximise the job satisfaction and performance levels of all personnel through the provision of appropriate training.
The firm currently uses the Access Training platform for most of its compliance training requirements, (including anti-money laundering, compliance, data protection). Employees are enrolled on relevant new webinars or courses monthly by the Finance Director in line with the firms mandatory training schedule.
The practice is accredited to the Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme. All relevant staff must receive awareness training on the Core Practice Management Standards and the ways in which the practice complies. Each relevant member of staff must understand and follow the National Conveyancing Protocol. Update training on anti-money laundering, mortgage and property fraud is delivered annually.
The practice is also accredited to the Law Society Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme. All relevant staff who advise clients on wills or estate administration must complete annual mandatory training.
The firm has also recently obtained membership to the MBL Webinar Subscription which gives all employees unlimited access to over 1,600 webinars.
Any staff members wishing to attend a course other than one identified in their individual training plan, should submit the course details to a director, to seek authority to incur the expenditure of attending the course.
Please refer to our Learning & Development Policy for more details
Departing Personnel
When a member of staff announces an intention to leave the firm, arrangements would be made for the handover of work and for the return of the firm’s property (e.g., keys). Also, unless it would be inappropriate (e.g., a redundancy or dismissal), a director would carry out an exit interview.
Please refer to our People Management Procedures for more details.
Flexible Working
If a staff member wishes to change their working arrangements, e.g., adjusting working hours or working partly from home, such requests should be made to a director for consideration. Factors to be considered would include the provision of service to clients and the security of client data.
Please refer to our Flexible, Remote & Hybrid Working Policy for further details.
January 2026
