Becoming an employer for the first time

Regardless of whether your employees are full time or part time you will have responsibilities to them.

Some of these apply straight away, others after a minimum period of continuous employment.

As an employer it is your responsibility to provide:

• A written statement of the main terms and conditions of their contract of employment.
• An itemised pay statement at or before the time of payment.
• A safe and secure working environment.
• Insurance to protect against claims for any illnesses, injuries or diseases your employees may pick up as a result of working for you.
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) with information to set up a payroll, deducting tax and National Insurance contributions from your employees' pay and forwarding the money to HMRC.
• Employees with a minimum level of paid holiday, a maximum length of a working week and minimum levels of rest breaks.
• Pay of at least the National Minimum Wage.
• Statutory sick pay if your staff are off sick for more than three days - this is a legal entitlement. 
• Leave for employees if they are pregnant, or is about to or has recently become a parent. There is an entitlement to maternity, paternity or adoption leave and parental leave during the first five years of their child's life (longer for a disabled child). You must also seriously consider any requests from parents with children under six to work more flexibly.
• Fair treatment of employees, avoiding discrimination. If things do go wrong, all employees are entitled to fair treatment, whether you have to dismiss them, make their position redundant or if you're selling your business.