5 real-world examples of retailers getting key employment, HR and health & safety advice from Bira Legal

Running a business often means navigating tricky employment situations, and it isn’t always clear what the right, lawful action is. This article highlights how the Bira Legal Advice Team provides clear, practical guidance through real workplace scenarios to help employers make confident decisions.

Running a business comes with all kinds of challenges, and employment issues are often among the most complex.

Acting quickly, fairly, and within the law is vital – but it’s not always easy to know the right steps to take. That’s where the Bira Legal Advice Team comes in. 

Our experienced advisers provide clear, pragmatic guidance tailored to your situation, so you can make confident, compliant decisions and focus on running your business. 

To show you the type of support we offer in practice, here are some common workplace scenarios and how we typically help.

Employment & HR

Scenario 1: Handling a grievance

Jane, an employee, raises a formal grievance in writing, claiming she’s been bullied and harassed by a colleague. She’s upset and asks for the matter be investigated promptly. You need some advice on what to do next. 

Here’s how Bira Legal support you, step-by-step: 

• Understanding the issue and reviewing your policies: We help you acknowledge Jane’s grievance promptly and professionally, gather any further details needed and ensure your grievance policy is up to date and compliant with the ACAS Code of Practice if you are not using the Bira Legal handbook.

Scenario 2: Welcoming a new employee 

Alex, a new employee, is starting with your business next week. You want to make sure their induction helps them settle in confidently, covers all the legal essentials, and sets the foundation for a positive working relationship. 

Here’s how we support you, step-by-step: 

• Planning your induction: We advise on what to include, and how to structure the first few days and weeks. This ensures the right balance between practical training, role familiarisation, and integration into your team, helping Alex feel supported and engaged from the outset. 

Health & Safety

Scenario 1: Loss of water supply

A client contacts us because the domestic water supply at their premises has been cut off. They want to know whether they can continue operating without access to water. At this time, there is no estimated completion for the repair work. 

Here’s how we can support them, step-by-step: 

• Assessing the situation: We confirm that the business cannot continue operating indefinitely without access to sanitary facilities and clean water.

Scenario 2: Customer incidents and HSE reporting

A regular client contacts us about a series of accidents and incidents. One recent case involves a member of the public slipping on the pavement outside the shop. 

Here’s how we support them, step-by-step: 

• Evaluating the incident: We review whether the accident is reportable to the HSE. Because it occurs on a public right of way and not on the business premises, there is no fault or failure on the client’s part. 

Scenario 3: Creating a risk assessment 

A client contacts us for help creating a risk assessment tailored to their business. They have downloaded several templates but are unsure how to combine elements to reflect their specific circumstances. 

Here’s how we support them, step-by-step: 

• Reviewing templates and requirements: We examine the templates the client has downloaded and discuss the specific areas they want to cover.