Getting Advice.
Compromise agreements can be written in
very legalistic language and can refer
to sections of Acts and Regulations
which you may never have heard of.
Because of this and because it is
important that you understand the effect
of the agreement, it is a legal
requirement that you get professional
advice on what the agreement means. It
is also a legal requirement that your
adviser signs the agreement to confirm
that advice has been given.
According to the Employment Rights
(Dispute Resolution) Act 1998, that
advice can only be given by a qualified
lawyer, a qualified trade union
official, or a qualified advice centre
worker, all of whom must be covered by
an appropriate certificate of indemnity
insurance. (Employers will often offer
an extra payment to allow you to pay for
advice).
Once you are clear as to the effect of
the terms of the compromise agreement
and if you accept those terms, you and
your adviser should sign and return it
to the employer who will also sign.
You should be clear that you will not be
able to pursue your case further once
you have signed a compromise agreement.
What
is employers-solicitors ?