New online legal service for employers and HR professionals

ï Protects employer and employee against legal liability
ï Reduces confusion and costs associated with employment-related compliance

A first-of-a-kind online legal resource for employers and HR professionals has been launched in the UK. www.cleardocs.co.uk enables users to quickly and confidently create ready-to-print-and-sign, legally compliant employment documents, such as contracts and staff handbooks, from their PC. The service reduces the costs normally associated with legal compliance by up to 50% and Cleardocsí intelligent and secure software programme guides the user from initial enquiry to completed document in minutes, rather than hours.

Unique to the Cleardocs offering is its proprietary software, based on plain English principles to reduce the complexity of legal documentation, and a free legal helpline manned by a team of specialist employment experts from leading law firm, Ashfords. The firm, which has backed all of the documents on the site ranging from holiday and sickness to grievance and redundancy policies, also provides additional pay-as-you-go legal support for more complex enquiries or requirements.

Christopher Balmford, former lawyer, internationally recognised plain English expert and founder of Cleardocs, explains the aim of the new service. ìOur mission with www.cleardocs.co.uk is to remove the complexity and confusion of legal compliance and provide an easy, cost-effective and flexible way for employers to comply with the law. The service protects them against liability, ensures their employees are aware of their rights and obligations and gives direct access to top flight legal expertise.î

Customers are kept up to date with changes in the law through automatic email alerts outlining changes and any subsequent responsibilities. Draft materials e.g. email and/or letter templates are then made available to enable the employer to quickly and efficiently announce and implement changes. As a result, customers can rest assured that the right business-critical legal employment documents are always in place to protect employer and employee. All data is then stored implicitly ensuring completed documents cannot be accessed by a third party.

Charles Pallot, Employment Partner at Ashfords commented, ìThis is a genuinely unique offering and an excellent example where innovative technology delivers tangible benefits to employers. Ninety per cent of the documents small to medium businesses need, in order to meet current employment legislation, are available through Cleardocs. For those situations where someone requires additional guidance on legal matters we are on hand at the end of the phone, or in person if that is what is needed.î

The launch follows the publication of The Federation of Small Businessesí recent survey* which cites the problems most associated with employment legislation as: cost (50%), increased threat of legal action (38%), time spent on administration (30%) and difficulty in understanding requirements (15%).

For more information visit www.cleardocs.co.uk or call 01256 338403.