Astute HR anyone used?

Zimara

Happy new year all.

I wondered if anyone has had any dealings with Astute HR? They are a legal firm based in London that specializes in employment law, i found them via a Google search.

I am having some issues at work regarding unfair treatment and bullying and needed to seek some legal advise. I have legal cover on my contents insurance however they won't do anything until I leave the company and go the constructive dismal route.

My company offered me a compromise agreement back in June 2013 but i enjoyed my work and colleagues and had worked for them for 7 years so I did not consider it as an option. Things have got progressively worse to the point where i'm going to take out a grievance and change my role with in the company (not really one i want).

The Chap from Astute suggested that he contact my employer to see if the compromise agreement offer was still on the table and he would negotiate for me if it was. He also stated that they could help me if i wanted to go down the grievance route but that would cost money.

I know my days are numbers with my current employer and i have been suffering with work related stress now for almost a year, so the suggestion from Astute sounds like a good one. However I couldn't help but feel that he was a bit of a sales man even though he was professional and gave sound advice. Anyone else had dealings with them?

Also I feel like i need to get some justice as this is not the first time someone has been bullied into leaving their job, so i would like to consider the grievance route but this would require a lot of time and effort on my part. Is it worth trying to get justice, not sure i trust it would be heard fairly!

Sorry i went on longer than what i intended to!

Thanks in advance for reading.

notanewuser

Your insurance will have a panel of solicitors that they use. You can't just pick one from google. Contact your insurers for advice before you do anything.

Secondly, fewer than 3% of constructive dismissal cases succeed. If you're using the experience from your secondment (another thread) then it's highly unlikely you would win.

Zimara

Thank you for your reply.

My insurance company solicitors advised me to contact a legal solicitor to see if i had a case as they could not advise whether I had a case or not. You can get 30 mins free consultation, so this is what i did.

This seemed like sound advice.

notanewuser

You have a case. What's important is whetherit has a greater than 51% chance of succeeding. Your insurers won't cover you without that assertion from the lawyers. Tribunal fees are at least £1000, most constructive dismissal cases fail and those that succeed have minimal payouts.

Your best bet is that compromise agreement. Any reason you can't negotiate that yourself?

getmore4less

The problem is they offered CA and you refused it so that it could not have been that bad to go for Constructive Dismissal.

Did you have a grievance in at that time? if not that would also go against you.

You will need to exhaust the company process before you stand any chance of CD and even then it will be small, if there is another offer on the table that you failed to negotiate that would be another negative.

Zimara

Thank you for your reply but i'm not currently considering CD, however my opening post does state that i'm currently considering taking a formal grievance, and or taking a job they have offered me 3 job families below what i currently am.

Astute recommended a 3rd option i hadn't considered which was to re open negotiation about a compromise agreement already offered. I just wondered if anyone had had any dealing with them. I suppose if they are offering other options to me then it can only be good advise.