Employment law is highly complex and frequently changes, so care should be taken to ensure that any information obtained from a website is up to date. 

The links below deal mainly with the legal and practical aspects of employment disputes. If you feel distressed by the situation in which you find yourself you might wish to ring Vet Helpline on 07659 811 118 (local call rates apply, 24hr rapid response answer phone).  Although they are not able to give advice, Vet Helpline is manned by friendly people with experience of the veterinary profession who are there to talk to you in complete confidence.

Legal Helplines:

• BVA Contract Advice (Members Only)
  
  
  • BVA Legal Advice Line (Members Only)
    
    BVA provides a free legal advice line for its members. The advice line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is manned by a team of legal advisors, mainly lawyers, who have a range of expertise covering all aspects of the law. 
    
    Members are able to fax documents or agreements where they require advice, but advisers will not write on a member’s behalf.  All calls are treated as confidential and are recorded for future reference.
    
    The resource is for BVA members only – the phone number is available from the members section of the BVA website. A valid membership number is required in order to access the BVA legal advice line.
    
    
  • BVA Mediation Service (Members Only)
    
    The BVA free mediation service brings the parties in dispute together and helps them to reach agreement.  It is a voluntary process and issues discussed remain confidential.  The process requires compromise from both parties and often results in a better, less expensive and less stressful resolution than litigation.  
    
    
  • BVA Representation Service (Employee Members & Employee Associates Only)
    
    Legal representation is primarily to help resolve issues that arise in the workplace.  Often, issues arise through lack of communication and differences in expectation between the parties.  The representation team will be able to provide guidance and support with disciplinary and grievance issues and will attend hearings with members where required.  They will work throughout to achieve a sensible and amicable solution.  
    
    
  • BVA Guide to Contracts of Employment for Veterinary Surgeons in Private Practice (Members Only)
    
    This guide is available free of charge to members on the BVA website.    
    
    
  • BVA Young Vet Network Contract of Employment Leaflet
    
    
  • BVA Practice Standards draft documentation (Members Only)
    
    Section one includes a sample staff agreement between a principle and an assistant 
    
    
    
    
• BVNA Legal Helpline (Members Only)
  
  All BVNA members have access to a free legal helpline, manned by legal professionals who will answer questions in relation to any subject, not just employment.  If you are a BVNA member and you need to contact the legal helpline telephone the BVNA office on 01279 408644 or email bvna@bvna.org.uk and they will put you in touch with the right person.  You will need to have your membership number ready when calling.  
  
  
• Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS)
  
  ACAS provides information, advice and high quality training and works with employers and employees to solve problems and improve performance.  
  Tel: 08457 474747 (Mon-Fri 08:00 - 18:00)

Campaigns:

RCVS, SPVS, VPMA and the BVA are working together to promote the use of written contracts of employment within the profession.  A BVA study in 2009 found that 24% of their recent graduate members did not have a written contract of employment in place and over 40% of these had been in a job where they did not receive a contract in the first six months of employment.  Read more on the BVA website. 

SPVS and the VPMA have produced a useful document called Managing Expectations - a framework publication that emphasises the need for employers and employees to have a partnership approach to achieving good employment practice.

RCVS Practice Standards Scheme - contracts of employment are included in the Practice Standards Scheme from Core level upwards.

Information:

• BVNA Guide to Contracts of Employment is available for sale on the BVNA website.
  
  
• DirectGov Advice on Employment Contracts
  
  
• Business Link - Government Advice for Employers 
  
  
• RCVS Practice Standards Scheme - contracts of employement are included in the Practice Standards Scheme from Core level upwards.