Without volunteers, many community organisations would struggle to provide their services and while it may seem that there is no legal relationship with volunteers, it is often not that simple. At Anthony Collins Solicitors we work with community organisations to advise them on all aspects of their volunteer management.
Volunteers are not required to have a contract of employment as they are not legally employed or an employee of an organisation. However, it is imperative that volunteer arrangements are drafted to record and define the relationship between the organisation and the volunteer. A volunteer agreement helps to draw a clear line of distinction between an employee and a volunteer.
There are several circumstances where the line between being a volunteer and an employee can be crossed, such as:
When an organisation crosses these lines they risk leaving themselves vulnerable to claims from volunteers. It is very important that you effectively manage their relationship with volunteers and safeguard yourself from potential claims.
At Anthony Collins Solicitors, we draw on our extensive experience of working within the voluntary and social business sectors to work in partnership with our clients to ensure they are aware of their legal obligations toward volunteers. We can advise on all aspects of volunteer management, including:
Our experienced employment team are well placed to advise on volunteer issues. Many have personal experience of volunteering and are trustees of organisations which regularly work with volunteers.
In response to the Women and Equalities Select Committee Report back in July 2018 on sexual harassment in the workplace, the Government is looking at a number of initiatives.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has given a Judgement in Ville de Nivelles v Matzak on whether stand-by time constitutes working time under the Working Time Directives.
Employers are having to walk a fine line between protecting their interests whilst also ensuring that they are not breaching their employees’ rights.
The sanctions against employers who knowingly or unknowingly employ individuals who do not have the correct immigration status to work in the UK are stringent.
Under the Working Time Regulations (WTR) a worker is entitled to a 20 minute rest break away from their workstation if their daily working time exceeds six hours. However, there are limited circumstan
What can an employer do when its negotiations with a recognised union break down and they cannot collectively agree changes to terms?
Can an employee’s concerns raised purely out of self-interest constitute a qualifying disclosure for whistleblowing purposes?
What’s on the horizon for HR and employment law in 2018? Kate Watkins highlights key legislative changes and cases to keep an eye out for.
The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) has confirmed that a 5 month gap in operations does not necessarily prevent TUPE applying.
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