For your Data Protection, Employment and Mediation needs
ARGENT BUSINESS CONSULTANTS
Argent Business Consultants provide solutions specifically for SME's - from one person operations to medium sized companies with over 150 staff. We partner with our clients from start to finish, focusing on their needs while offering expertise, value and peace of mind. Whether you have a one off issue or wish to outsource various matters, please contact us to see how we may help.
DATA PROTECTION SERVICES
Affordable compliance solutions
Data protection is not just about your customers or clients, it affects everything: insurance, employees, Health & Safety, etc. You need someone who knows how data protection straddles all areas of business, watches out for the most common pitfalls and protects against data breaches, reputational damage, fines of up to 4% of turnover under GDPR and criminal offences under the Data Protection Act 2018. Please see our business solutions below for more information.
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
Grow and Protect Your Business
We provide advice on all employment matters; from drafting your employment contracts, policies and procedures (e.g. grievance and disciplinary procedure), training staff and investigating workplace incidents and accidents. We strive towards fair procedures throughout the entire process to reduce the risk of any conflict and litigation. Please scroll down to see examples of our employment policies and procedures in practice.
SOME OF OUR BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
DATA PROTECTION
Data Protection Audit (Data Audit)
Data Protection Policy
Data Protection Statement
Data Processing Agreements
Data Access / Information Requests
Data Breach Management
Data Protection Training
Social Media Policy
Data Portability
Cookie Policy
CCTV Policy
EMPLOYMENT
Employment Contract
Dignity at Work Policy
Grievance Procedure
Disciplinary Procedure
Workplace Investigations
Workplace Accidents
Bullying & Harassment Policy
Family Leave Policy
Social Media at Work Policy
Equal Opportunities Policy
Work Permits
For existing clients we work with our business partners to provide additional services such as Health & Safety and Fire Safety policies and procedures, Planning Applications and Planning Appeals and representation before the RTB and Rights Commissioners. If you are having a problem and not sure who to ask, please contact us to see if we can help.
TRAINING
We provide bespoke training for your organisation; whether you need CPD certified points or to keep abreast of latest developments, please see our training page for full details.
MEDIATION & CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Problems and conflict can be dealt with in a safe, confidential and productive environment that brings the best out of both sides to explore win-win positions. Each conflict is different, as too is each mediation, but all conflict resolution starts with an exploratory conversation to see how mediation can help solve your difficulties. Please email - with no obligation to engage us - to see whether mediation will suit you and your organisation.
Affordable conflict resolution alternative to litigation
REAL LIFE CASE STUDY
The client involved agreed to this case study on the basis of their name being withheld.
Following an accident in a workplace, two employees accused the other of improper conduct and lodged formal complaints against one another; each claiming they were bullied by the other thus creating an unsafe working environment that led to the accident.
We were invited to investigate matters and discovered that the firm had an improper grievance and disciplinary procedure, no data protection policy, no protected disclosures policy and an incomplete health and safety policy.
The firm’s grievance and disciplinary procedure, along with their health and safety policy were bought “off the shelf”, i.e. a standard policy used by lots of other firms. Unfortunately, it was completely unsuitable to their organisation and had the firm used it, they would have automatically opened themselves up to litigation from both employees.
We drafted proper policies and along with our business partners, who we sometimes work with on investigations, created a tailored investigation process for both employees. Both employees had their Constitutional rights protected throughout the entire grievance process, and then later during the disciplinary process after which one was dismissed for gross misconduct.
Had the firm not invested in proper policies or a proper investigation then they could have been liable for:
Breaching the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (each employee disclosed unsafe working practices and if found to have been punished as defined under the Act then they could have been entitled up to five years worth of salary).
Unfair dismissal (for the person dismissed - up to 2 years work of salary).
Breach of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (bullying, accident in the workplace, failure to keep records, etc.) the company and various officials (directors, etc.) can be fined and convicted of an offence in the District Court (criminal conviction).
Breach of the Data Protection Acts (for use of CCTV, retention of personal data, etc.) the company and various company officials (directors, etc.) can be fined.
As can be seen, an employment matter can quickly escalate, affect many different areas of law, can be costly and may even attract a criminal conviction.
At Argent Business Consultants we strive to avoid escalating matters and dealing with them as soon as possible.