We all know that employment disputes can be a drain on both money and time and that court action can be slow and potentially costly. In many cases mediation can be a more flexible, speedy and cost effective means of resolving disputes and can be less disruptive to the workplace.
If you and your employee agree to mediation it can be quick (often less than a day) and is almost always less expensive and stressful than taking legal action. It can be used to try to avoid bringing a court claim, or during a court case to try to shorten it and resolve a dispute before the court makes its decision.
What is mediation?
In mediation, an independent, impartial third party discusses the issues in dispute with you and your employee. This can be done separately or together with a view to helping you both come up with an agreeable solution. It is voluntary, so both you and your employee need to agree to be involved. A mediator cannot impose their solution.
When should you use mediation?
Mediation helps to keep lines of communication open and encourages positive discussion. It can clarify matters and gives you control over the outcome. Mediation is not suitable unless all parties genuinely wish to reach agreement.
How long does mediation take?
Straightforward disputes may be resolved in a single mediation session of up to three hours, but more complicated cases can take much longer.
Is the mediation decision final?
The mediator cannot impose a decision on the parties, but a mediated solution is binding on all parties once they have all signed a written record (which we can prepare on your behalf).
How can we help?
We can provide advice about the mediation process – for instance, we can help you to decide if mediation is suitable for your dispute, and can refer you to a mediator. We can also provide legal advice during the mediation, and explain the options if you cannot reach a solution.
We use experienced mediators who are expert at helping to facilitate an outcome to disputes between employees and employers. If you wish to appoint a mediator then we will confirm how much the mediation will cost before any actions are taken.
For full details of our mediation services please call us on 01273 834120 or email us at advice@sherrardslaw.com with your requirements.
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