Overview

We know that employee disputes and grievances come in all shapes and sizes. If not handled strategically these issues can escalate disproportionality and become time-consuming and disruptive for the organisation.

We advise clients on a daily basis on a wide range of employee complaints and grievances. These might be complaints from individuals or from groups of employees. This means there is little we haven’t seen before and we use this experience to identify a workable approach to resolving the issue that is right for your business, its values and your appetite for risk.

It is also becoming increasingly common for employees with complaints against their employer to make a data subject access request (DSAR) as part of their grievance or employment tribunal claim. We are able to manage these requests for you alongside advising you on the complaint. Using our DSAR service, we can help you comply with the request (using digital solutions to reduce costs and time) as well as advising on the strategic implications which the output of the DSAR may have on the complaint, grievance and/ or tribunal claim.

Employment tribunals and appeals and High Court litigation

We have extensive experience in defending Employment Tribunal claims at tribunal and in the appellate courts and handle the claims portfolios for many of our clients. This means we are familiar with handling the most complex of claims including whistleblowing, discrimination and National Minimum Wage litigation.

We also advise on collective disputes such as claims arising from TUPE transfers and in relation to collective consultation complaints.

Given the nature of the disputes we deal with, we also regularly work alongside internal PR teams and agencies where claims are high-profile and carry potential reputational risk.

Whilst we regularly work with the leading employment law barristers’ chambers, our team includes experienced employment tribunal advocates.

Recognising the need to offer value for money and budgetary certainty, we offer a fixed fee employment tribunal service – usually priced on a stage by stage basis.

We can also represent your organisation in High Court litigation including in relation to the enforcement of restrictive covenants and injunctions to prevent strike action.

Areas of focus

We can advise you on all employment disputes and claims including:

  • Individual and collective grievances.
  • Workplace investigations and whistleblowing.
  • Working time, holiday pay and unlawful deductions from wages.
  • Unfair dismissal.
  • Discrimination and equal pay.
  • Class actions
  • Collective claims involving redundancy law and TUPE law.
  • Industrial relations and strikes.
  • High Court proceedings including high value bonus claims and seeking/defending injunctions involving enforcement of restrictive covenants.

Please refer to our pricing and services details for further information.

Experience

Acting for a major media and information company to successfully resolve a number of tribunal claims, including claims for unfair dismissal and discrimination, and a collective employment tribunal claim brought by employees who transferred to the organisation under TUPE; also dealing with a number of other related tribunal claims and relevant appeals to the EAT.

Acting for a large retail client in relation to tribunal and EAT claims across the different UK jurisdictions.

Successfully defending a high profile public figure against very serious claims of sexual harassment and unfair dismissal.

Successfully defending a high profile sexual harassment and disability discrimination complaint brought against a major manufacturer and two named respondents.

Advising an international insurance company on a discrimination-related grievance and complex employment tribunal proceedings, and successfully conducting a three-day judicial mediation.

Acting for a major global printing business to successfully resist an employee’s appeal to the Supreme Court in relation to unfair dismissal and age discrimination claims.

Defending significant whistleblowing and grievance claims for a large healthcare organisation, including an employment tribunal claim involving race discrimination.

Successfully defending a global manufacturer against multiple claims of race discrimination following a collective grievance dispute.

Successfully defending a number of complex tribunal claims for a leading multinational electricity and gas generation and distribution company.

Advising a large engineering and support services group on collective employment tribunal and High Court cases brought by employees who transferred to the organisation under TUPE.

Advising a large engineering and support services group on various collective disputes with their recognised trade unions, and successfully averting industrial action amongst its non-industrial workforce.

Advising an international recruitment business on enforcement of restrictions against competing ex-employees.

Advising an international IT business on enforcement of restrictions against competing ex-employees.

Providing a fixed fee employment tribunal service to a FTSE 100 defence and security group.

Advising a large healthcare organisation on dealing with a complex and substantial DSAR, in conjunction with advising on the ongoing employment dispute and subsequent employment tribunal claim.

Advising a large retail client on their response to a complaint made by an employee to the Information Commissioner’s Office, alongside advising on the ancillary employment dispute.

Advising an executive non-departmental public body on multiple DSARs, supporting on their review and response to the requests alongside supporting and advising them on multiple employment disputes.

Meet the team
Headshot of Adrian Martin

Adrian Martin Partner

  • Head of Employment
  • TUPE: Business Transfers and Outsourcing
  • Restructuring and Redundancy
Luke Bowery

Luke Bowery Partner

  • Employment
  • Restructuring and Redundancy
  • Equality, Diversity and Discrimination
Headshot of Chris Seaton

Chris Seaton Senior Partner

  • Senior Partner
  • Employment
  • Partnerships
Headshot of Katie Russell

Katie Russell Partner

  • Employment
  • Financial Services
  • Sport
Headshot of Katherine Flower

Katherine Flower Partner

  • Employment

Employee Grievances, Disputes and Employment Tribunal Claims

The Burges Salmon employment team have an enviable, diverse and heavyweight client list and are trusted to handle some of the most sensitive and complex employment disputes around.

Legal 500 2023

Key contact

Headshot of Adrian Martin

Adrian Martin Partner

  • Head of Employment
  • TUPE: Business Transfers and Outsourcing
  • Restructuring and Redundancy

Pricing and service details

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