Modern Slavery Act

Modern slavery affects billions of people all over the world, including the UK. Every business has a responsibility to prevent exploitation happening in your business and in any part of your supply chain. Some businesses will be required to submit transparency statements to report on anti-slavery and anti-human trafficking efforts in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act.

Modern Slavery Act 2015 aims to combat slavery and human trafficking. It is mandatory for certain businesses to comply with the act in their operations and their supply chain. Eligible businesses must report a transparency statement on an annual basis, which publishes the actions taken by a business to prevent slavery and human trafficking. 

What businesses are affected by the Modern Slavery Act?

The reporting requirements of the Modern Slavery Act applies to any company that supplies goods or services in the UK with a turnover of at least £36 million. The turnover includes all subsidiaries that do business in the UK.

For smaller business there is no legal requirement to report but it is encouraged. A small business may also be indirectly affected by reporting obligations if they are in the supply chain of a large company. You may be required to report your modern slavery efforts to the large company as part of their monitoring and transparency efforts. 

Additionally, for small businesses looking to do business with certain organisations, transparency reporting may be required as part of the tender or bidding process. 

What is a Transparency Statement and what should it include?

Transparency Statements must be supplied by businesses with a certain turnover who supply goods or services in the UK. They are designed as an attempt to tackle the issue of modern slavery and human trafficking. The aim is to make businesses more responsible for human trafficking in their business and in their wider supply line. 

In short, the Transparency Statement should include statements of the businesses policies for preventing slavery and human trafficking in their supply line. 

Some of the information to include in your transparency statement includes:

• Business structure and supply chain
• Policies for preventing human trafficking
• Most at risks areas in your supply chain
• Steps taken to assess and manage risk
• Staff training and awareness

Non-compliance of the Modern Slavery Act can result in critical consequences such as fines and/or imprisonment, and compensation pay out to alleged victims. 

The steps you can take to ensure your business complies with the act include:

• Undertake routine review and risk assessments for potential slavery or human trafficking in the business and your supply chain or partners
• Include anti-slavery and human trafficking clauses in supplier contracts
• Conduct training for employees about the Modern Slavery Act
• Install policies and procedures to combat anti-slavery and human trafficking

How can Monarch Solicitors help?

At Monarch Solicitors, we can help your business comply with the Modern Slavery Act by drafting your transparency statement. If you are under investigation, we can represent and help you defend allegations of slavery throughout each stage of the investigation. 

Our specialist employment solicitors have decades of experience dealing with employment issues. They are well equipped to deal with a whole manner of different cases no matter how big or small. 

Our team have had great success negotiating settlement offers, taking claims to the Employment Tribunal, and many more. Every person we represent receives the same high quality of treatment and personal service.

Legal Costs & Service Transparency

If you are considering taking Court action due to a breach of employment law the legal costs should be weighed against the amount likely to be received in damages.

We know it’s important to your business that the legal costs of the dispute are kept under control so as to not affect your cash flow.

We’ll not only ensure that you’re aware of costs implications from the outset, we’ll provide you with step-by-step cost estimates or fixed fees for each stage of the work. We’ll also consider funding options to suit your business needs so you can be sure that our legal services are cost effective.

For more information regarding legal funding options, please click here for more information.

About our Employment Team

At Monarch Solicitors, our employment lawyers have vast experience, expertise, and knowledge in resolving all kinds of domestic and international employment disputes, whether it be complex or technical or simply a disagreement over pay and working conditions.

We have particular expertise in relation to the following areas:

• Defending employment tribunal claims
• Discrimination claims
• Disciplinary and grievances
• Employment Contracts
• Flexible working
• HR services
• Modern slavery
• Performance management
• Recruitment support
• Redundancy procedures
• Termination and settlement agreements
• TUPE transfers

Contact our Employment Solicitors

Our expert employment lawyers are available to discuss all aspects of the Modern Slavery Act.

Please contact our employment advisors for immediate assistance by sending an email to us at [email protected] and one of our employment solicitors shall call you back. 

Alternatively, please call our employment solicitors in Manchester on 0330 127 8888 for a no obligation discussion.

Monarch Solicitors is a leading UK law firm with specialist employment solicitors ready to offer their expertise. Our award-winning Manchester solicitors, London solicitors and Birmingham solicitors offer their legal expertise nationally and internationally.

We are also able to leverage an international network spanning across Hong Kong, Turkey and Dubai to provide seamless assistance with cross-border matters relating to the Modern Slavery Act.