Employment Law

November 29, 2024

How To Avoid Breaching Unfair Contract Terms Legislation

If you own or manage a business that uses commercial contracts as part of its operations, then we hope that before implementing those contracts you sought the advice of commercial lawyers. If you did not, then there is the possibility that because the contracts were not checked by a legal expert that they could include unfair terms.

Unfair contract terms are those terms and clauses within a contract that could be deemed to be unfair at best, potentially void, and almost certainly unenforceable if you were to refer to or rely on them should any legal dispute arises between your business and a customer or client. Note that it is a two-way street, which means you could enter a contract in which the other party has included unfair contract terms.

10 Employment Law Terms All Landscaping Business Owners Need To Be Aware Of

Most landscapers and those who own or run a landscaping company will rightly claim that they have enough on their plate regarding that business, rather than concern themselves with legal matters which are best left to lawyers. There is nothing wrong with that point of view, however, we would caveat it by saying it does no harm to be familiar with some legal terms that apply to running a landscaping business, and in particular, those relating to employment law.

We say that because the last thing any landscaping business needs is to find itself being taken to court, not through any nefarious actions, but due to ignorance of employment law, or one of the specific terms that relate to it. Bear in mind, in legal cases, whether they be civil or criminal, ignorance of the law is no defence, and that ignorance could be extremely costly if the court rules against you.

So, to take a small step towards ensuring you know key employment law terms, we have outlined ten of the most important below.

Why Should I Negotiate My Contract?

A lot of people don’t realise just how important it is to negotiate a contract before you sign it. In fact, it’s incredible how many people just accept the contract they’re given without any negotiations at all. And really, this isn’t the right thing to do.

If you’re not sure how to go about negotiating a new employment contract, I’d highly recommend getting in touch with your local employment lawyer to ensure you’re doing the right thing. There are numerous benefits associated with contract negotiation, and it’s always something to consider. Here’s why:

Contract Negotiation Will Ensure You’re Getting a Good Deal

Unfortunately, a lot of people enter contract negotiations with the sole aim of gaining a higher pay rate. However, there’s so much more to think about than simple money. Make sure you take the following into account to ensure you’re getting a good deal:

Sick and holiday leave, as well as the conditions attached to each.
Contract termination conditions to ensure you’re protected in the case of unfair dismissal.
Overtime and penalty rates.
Bonuses for exceptional performance or exceeding performance targets.

There are other things to consider, but these will vary according to the industry you’re working in. For example, if you work in construction, you might negotiate a clause that requires your employer to pay for certain tools or PPE.

Category: Employment Law