Employment Law for Charities - Reputation, Responsibility & Risks

Introduction

Charities in England and Wales have the same obligations, responsibilities, and duties to their employees as any other business, but they must also ensure that their workplace practices are constitutionally compliant and meet the high expectations of public scrutiny. Getting it right has never been more demanding.

Negative publicity can have a devastating impact on public confidence and charitable funding, yet many charities operate on limited budgets with stretched resources. It is essential for employment advisers to the charity sector to understand the unique environment in which charity clients operate and to recognise potential risks early.

This new virtual classroom seminar highlights the key areas where complex issues can arise and where legal advisers can play an invaluable role in identifying problems and preventing complaints, claims, and penalties.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive course will cover the following:

• Charities - organisation and profile:
• What makes charities and charity workers different?
• How do an organisation’s charitable purposes impact employment decisions and workplace culture?
• Why is it important for employment lawyers to understand the relationship between trustees and staff?
• Managing reputational risk:
• When can conflicts of interest arise, and what role does a charity have in managing these risks?
• What additional responsibilities do charities have in recruitment and safeguarding?
• NDAs and whistleblowing concerns
• Serious incident reports:
• When must charities report serious incidents to the Charity Commission?
• What employment-related matters constitute serious incidents?
• How should charities handle investigations and reporting obligations while managing employment law risks?
• Leadership, governance, and internal disputes:
• What are the key differences between the roles of trustees and executive directors?
• How should charities manage disagreements between executive directors and trustees?
• What constitutional and employment law issues can arise from governance conflicts?
• Employment status and atypical working:
• The rules on payments to trustees, and potential pitfalls when engaging volunteers
• Relevant case law

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.