75, Holyhead Rd, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 0LG

BRADICAL CIC 75, Holyhead Rd, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 0LG

Employment advice work What is BRADICAL ? BRADICAL Community Interest Company is a small voluntary organisation based in Birmingham which offers free advice on employment and discrimination issues. We depend almost entirely on volunteers (students, law graduates, unemployed and retired people). In 2013 we managed to obtain £200,000 for clients in settlements and awards What do we do? We cover all aspects of employment law but are particularly committed to challenging all forms of discrimination, whether concerned with sex, race, disability, religion, sexual orientation, age etc. We also provide free advice on employment matters in general – grievances, disciplinary hearings, dismissal appeals, minimum wage rates, holiday pay etc. Who comes for advice? Our clientele includes people of Afghani, Czech, Indian, Iraqi, Jamaican, Latvian, Pakistani, Polish, Somali and UK origin. Many do not speak English as a first language so volunteers who speak other languages are especially welcome What kind of employers do we deal with? Respondents are often small employers, such as security firms, care organisations and employment agencies also voluntary organisations but we also come up against larger and more well-known names such as DaimlerChrysler, Sainsbury’s, NHS Trusts, HMRC and Birmingham City Council. What does the BRADICAL team do? We run advice sessions every Wednesday afternoon (at the CAB in the city centre) and Thursday afternoon (at the Information and Advice Centre in Handsworth) from 12.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. The team may carry out an initial interview, draft a dismissal appeal/grievance letter, submit a tribunal claim, prepare a witness statement or schedule of loss. We negotiate a settlement in most cases but, where possible, we represent the claimant at a tribunal hearing, whether a CMD, PHR or full hearing. We also take on enforcement of tribunal awards through the High Court. Individual settlements and tribunal awards have ranged from £500 to £20,000. On occasion we have also been able to secure re- instatement What commitment do you expect? We select volunteers who will commit to giving 6 hours per week to our work for at least six months. This will include attending the team meeting at 12 noon on Wednesday or Thursdays, advising clients from 12.30 to 4.30 and, with appropriate support, managing a small number of cases over the rest of the week or appearing as an advocate in tribunal. What sort of work is involved? You will be expected to take notes, draft statements, research the relevant law, calculate schedules of loss, negotiate settlements and, if you are willing, represent at ET hearings. We provide insurance for all our volunteers What do I get out of it? You will have the opportunity to learn something about the application of employment and discrimination law, gain hands-on experience of employment law practice and tribunal procedure and have the satisfaction of bringing some cases to a successful conclusion. We regularly provide job references for volunteers applying for paid employment

Interested? Complete the attached application and email Andrew Lee at [email protected] , mobile 0793-210-3798