Helping you assess how your employees’ contracts are affected by a workplace move, and whether you risk claims of discrimination.

  • The location of their workplace is part of your employees’ contract, so if you move your business it changes the terms of their contracts. If the contracts include a mobility clause, it may not be adequate.
  • You need to assess whether any mobility clause in their contracts is adequate, and if the move might trigger a claim for discrimination for an employee or group of employees.
  • There are many aspects of employment law to consider when you move your business, and our expert advice will help provide clarity so you can make informed decisions.

What is a workplace move?

A workplace move is a change of location for a company or a portion of the workforce. This can involve moving to a new office or relocating employees to a different branch.

The location where your staff work forms part of their contract of employment, so if your business moves, this will change the terms of their contracts.

When considering a workplace move you will need to assess how the contract terms are affected by factors such as:-

  • The distance the company intends to move;
  • How many employees will be affected;
  • The proposed timescale for the move; and
  • Practical issues for employees.

If the contracts you are using include a mobility clause, you should check whether the clause is adequate in the context of the proposed move. It is also vital to consider whether the relocation adversely affects a particular group of employees and if it might result in them bringing claims for discrimination.

How Moore Barlow can help

There are many decisions you’ll need to make, such as whether to offer employees a relocation package, a trial period in the new location or if you will need to make redundancies. Our team will provide the advice you need about all the employment issues involved in your proposed move, so you can make informed decisions.

With our expert employment law teams working across our offices based in London, Southampton, Richmond, Lymington, Woking and Guildford, we’re ideally placed to offer specialist advice both locally and nationally.