Today I attended a networking session. CEO’s, business representative and business owners attended. My mum invited me along. At first, I was reluctant to go, but after my mum called them this morning to let them know I was coming. I thought, why not.
We arrived late, and everyone was already sat down. I was not nervous because I have sat as a trustee for the students union and a student governor for the governors' board whilst at university. This gave me the experience of interacting with high profile people.
When it came to the main talk, it was delivered by a business representative from an HR company. The focus of her talk was on worker status and the controversy with regards to the law. Her talk was not accurate, and I was not too sure what to do. It would have been better to engage with an employment lawyer before advising business owners and CEOs because it is a complex topic. I did not highlight her errors and undermine her because I felt guilty. She was trying her best to inform businesses in simple everyday english of the law changes, and I admired her for that. Especially at the best of times, the language used in statutes is not very approachable. I knew about the topic as I had studied it in-depth and written a piece on it last year.
I had the opportunity to give information about the difference between the different types of employees, which eased my consciousness a little.
When I studied the topic and read the case law, I never thought that employers would hire workers deliberately under self-employed status when they’re in reality the actual contractual relationship was that of a worker. You could have imagined my surprise when three employers said that it is a method they use. Querying if brexit would impact the Taylor Review? This question was met by a gasp and a horrified look from the HR lady.
The whole experience made me realize the importance of employment lawyers. Suppose lawyers were getting involved in free networking events, giving talks and meeting the CEO’s, business representatives and owners. It would enable the employer to act ethically towards their staff and receive the correct advice. It would also benefit the employment lawyers as they would gain trust for being transparent, gain new clients, and have that feel-good factor.
Overall it was a fun and enlightening experience. I was able to engage and meet new people. The talk was on a topic that I thoroughly enjoyed. I shook hands and made some new connections. I also got the chance to talk to the HR lady at the end of the session and say that the law can be tricky to understand at the best of times. She attempted it without even studying it or consulting an employment lawyer fearlessly. She appreciated my support and asked that I follow her on social media. Networking was so much fun.
Comentarios