Kingston University sends thousands of graduates into their first jobs every summer, and some of them come back within a year with a question about a probation period that ended badly, a zero-hours contract that never gave hours, or an internship that was really a job. Employment solicitors in Kingston upon Thames see the start of working life more than most, and the end of it too, because the borough's older professionals in Coombe and Surbiton bring redundancy packages, restrictive covenants and settlement agreements from City employers who expect them to sign quickly.
In between are the borough's own workplaces. Kingston Hospital is the largest, with the NHS pattern of long disciplinary processes, whistleblowing and sickness-absence disputes; the university has had its share of restructurings, which generate redundancy and fixed-term contract claims; the Bentall Centre and the shops around it employ a large retail workforce on part-time and variable-hours contracts; the restaurants and bars of the riverside and New Malden's Korean businesses raise questions about pay, tips and sponsorship; and the council, the schools and the theme park at Chessington make up the rest.
Claims from Kingston go to the London South employment tribunal in Croydon, and the time limit is strict: Acas early conciliation must begin within three months less one day of the dismissal or other act, and no amount of internal appeal extends it. Settlement agreements bind only after independent advice, which the employer usually funds.
Most Kingston firms offer an initial discussion free or at a fixed price, fixed fees for settlement agreements and contract reviews, and staged or hourly charges for claims, with legal expenses insurance sometimes covering the cost.
Employment solicitors near Kingston upon Thames are listed below, verified firms first. See the general employment law solicitors page and what employment law is; employers may want business law solicitors in Kingston upon Thames, and the employment law solicitors in Croydon page lists firms beside the tribunal.
Verified