Campaigns
Our Campaigns
Since Cate and I founded martin searle solicitors in 2004, we have campaigned to ensure access to justice on important issues such as equality and diversity. Our campaigns educate employers to be fair and to avoid inadvertently discriminating against workers, as well as advising employees to help them bring claims for unfair and discriminatory treatment.
#Metoo Matters – Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Our campaign to stamp out sexual harassment at work started in 2018 as a response to the #MeToo movement. This next takes place throughout January 2025. It focuses on inappropriate conduct in the workplace and provides legal training to help employers make their workplaces a harassment-free environment.
The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have been successful in having their recommendations taken up in the new Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, which comes into force on 26 October 2024. This requires employers to take preventative steps with penalties if they fail to do so. Please read our blog here.
Our campaign includes a free advice phone line for employees and employers who are concerned about sexual harassment at work and a free seminar on How To Avoid Sexual Harassment Claims In The Workplace. This outlines practical steps that companies can take to ensure that their workplaces are safe and welcoming places for all their employees. We also produce free website content in the form of factsheets, FAQs and case studies for employers and employees covering sexual harassment in the workplace.
Disability Matters
Our annual campaign to stamp out Disability Discrimination runs each October. In 2024 it focuses on anxiety and depression in the workplace.
We will be running a free telephone advice surgery for employees and employers who want to find out about the rights of disabled people in the workplace and how to challenge discrimination, including the failure to consider reasonable adjustments.
We are also running two seminars as part of the campaign: one for charities and non-profit organisations, and a virtual seminar for HR and Employment Professionals. Both seminars provide practical best-practice advice on Managing Ill Health and Disability in the workplace. Our campaign is supported by relevant FAQs, case studies and factsheets for employees and employers covering disability rights at work.
Find out more about Disability Matters.
Social Care Funding Matters
Our new campaign to raise awareness about the current problems with social care funding.
The campaign includes a free confidential advice line regarding planning and paying for care. We also run a free seminar: Paying For Care – Topics and Tensions for Professional Deputies, private client lawyers, and other advisers who work in the social care sector.
We also continually update our free factsheets, case studies and FAQs to provide clear and detailed guidance about social care funding and paying for care.
Diversity Matters
Our campaign to stamp out Sex Discrimination in the workplace coincides with International Women’s Day on 8 March.
We run a free telephone advice surgery for employees and employers who want to find out about sex equality in the workplace and how to challenge discrimination.
We also run two virtual seminars. The first is on Sex Equality – Best Practice for Employers. This is aimed at employers keen to make their workplaces Best Practice and avoid discrimination. The second is on Sex Equality Rights in the Workplace – A Guide for Advisers and offers practical advice on sex discrimination to advisers who support employees and workers.
Our campaign is supported by relevant FAQs, case studies and factsheets for employees and employers covering sex equality rights at work.
Find out more about Diversity Matters.
Mind The Bump
Our yearly campaign to stamp out pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace has run ever since we founded martin searle solicitors in 2004. We have found that this type of discrimination has become more common, particularly during the pandemic.
We provide a free telephone advice line for both employers and employees concerned about workplace rights of pregnant women and women on maternity leave and employers responsibilities.
We also run a free seminar for employers on Pregnancy and Maternity Leave – Best Practice for Employers to educate owners as to their responsibilities. This year, we ran a free workshop for employee advisors and trade union representatives on Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination – A Guide for Advisers representing Employees and Workers.
The campaign is supported by providing useful information and infographics across our social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
We continually update our free factsheets, case studies and FAQs for employees and employers to provide clear and detailed guidance about pregnancy and maternity rights at work.
‘Mind The Bump’ won the Digital Media Campaign of the Year at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards in 2012.
Find out more about Mind The Bump.
Contracts and Handbooks Campaign
Our annual Contracts and Handbooks campaign provides the tools that organisations need to put in place robust and up to date contracts and policies. These ensure clarity and security to both the employee and employer.
Each January, our Employment Law Team provide a free half-hour telephone consultation service for employers and hirers on workplace contractual rights and policies and procedures. We also run a free seminar for employers and HR professionals on Everything You Need To Know About Contractual Terms and Policies. Our website showcases relevant case studies, factsheets and FAQs for employers covering contractual obligations and up to date policies.
To find out more about our campaigns, contact us today on 01273 609911, or email info@ms-solicitors.co.uk.
