McFamily jobs could lead to red-tape chaos

EMPLOYMENT law experts are warning that a scheme allowing employees to share jobs with family members could cause chaos for copycat companies.

McDonaldís is pioneering a scheme which allows husbands, wives, grandparents and children over 16 to job-share. The Family Contract is the first of its kind in England.

Neil Gouldson, head of employment law at national law firm Rowe Cohen, says contracts like this can be plagued with potential pitfalls:

Employers planning to follow McDonaldís lead, risk leaving themselves exposed to a host of employment law traps. Instead of training one family member, companies will have to train every member whoís signed the contract. This could be extremely expensive and thereís the danger that training is inadequate and service levels could plummet as a result.

Employment legislation is complicated as it is and creative HR initiatives must be backed up with watertight employment contracts.

The recruitment process will become much more complicated. Screening an entire family will be costly and time consuming and itís possible that the process wonít be carried out as thoroughly as it would be on an individual. Any employers planning to follow McDonaldís lead should ensure they seek professional advice.

See: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/26/nmcjob26.xml&sS...