Be aware of Acas imitators Have you been approached by anyone ...
Be aware of Acas imitators Have you been approached by anyone ...
Be aware of Acas imitators Have you been approached by anyone ...
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<strong>Be</strong> <strong>aware</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Acas</strong> <strong>imitators</strong><strong>Have</strong> <strong>you</strong> <strong>been</strong> <strong>approached</strong> <strong>by</strong> <strong>anyone</strong>claiming to be working in association with<strong>Acas</strong>?We have recently received complaints, mainly from employers, about companies contactingthem who say they are part <strong>of</strong> and/or acting on behalf <strong>of</strong> <strong>Acas</strong>. They typically <strong>of</strong>fer initialadvice which they don't charge for but then ask people to sign up to a long-term, <strong>of</strong>tenexpensive contract for employment and/or health and safety advice.We are investigating the <strong>Acas</strong> <strong>imitators</strong> but in the meantime, here are some things to lookout for to avoid them:• If the advice isn't from www.acas.org.uk or <strong>you</strong> didn't call the <strong>Acas</strong> Helpline on08457 474747 - it's not from us.If <strong>you</strong> receive a call from a company claiming to be associated with us or someone gives <strong>you</strong>the number for the <strong>Acas</strong> Helpline or if <strong>you</strong> are simply looking for us on internet searchengines, please check the contact details carefully to ensure they are ours (see above).• Advice given via the <strong>Acas</strong> Helpline and our website only comes straight from us. Wedon't use agents and we don't outsource our advice to other companies.If someone <strong>of</strong>fers <strong>you</strong> advice which they claim is based on our Codes <strong>of</strong> Conduct or bestpractices guides, please note that the advice will be based on their interpretation <strong>of</strong> theguidance which may be different from our own.• We'll help <strong>you</strong> whether <strong>you</strong> are an employer or an employee. <strong>Be</strong>cause we'reindependent and impartial, we don't take sides in a dispute so we can't fight <strong>you</strong>rclaim or defend one brought against <strong>you</strong>.If someone <strong>of</strong>fers <strong>you</strong> advice which is geared only to <strong>you</strong> as an employer or an employee, orthey <strong>of</strong>fer to make a claim on <strong>you</strong>r behalf or represent <strong>you</strong> in an employment tribunal - it'snot us.• If someone <strong>of</strong>fers <strong>you</strong> free initial advice and then asks <strong>you</strong> sign up to a contract forongoing advice and assistance - it's not us. We don't charge for ongoing advicefrom our Helpline or access to our website*.• If someone claims that <strong>Acas</strong> passed <strong>you</strong>r details to them or referred <strong>you</strong> to them - wedidn't.Our advice is confidential. Whether <strong>you</strong> make an enquiry through our website or the <strong>Acas</strong>Helpline, or the Employment Tribunal refers a claim to us for conciliation, our advice and <strong>you</strong>rdetails remain confidential to us. The only exception would be a very small number <strong>of</strong>instances where we are required to disclose them <strong>by</strong> law.We are under a public duty to ensure that <strong>you</strong> get the advice and assistance <strong>you</strong> needwithout being misled <strong>by</strong> companies who misuse our name and we take that duty veryseriously.
<strong>Have</strong> <strong>you</strong> had an experience with an <strong>Acas</strong>Imitator?Tell us and we'll do our best to put a stop to it now! Write to the regional director for <strong>you</strong>rregion or call our helpline. If possible, please provide the following information:• Name <strong>of</strong> the Organisation and representative(s) that contacted <strong>you</strong>• Date(s) and method(s) <strong>of</strong> contact• What they actually said (specific words, phrases etc) about <strong>Acas</strong> and their connectionwith <strong>Acas</strong>? - Please keep any documentary evidence <strong>you</strong> may have.<strong>Have</strong> <strong>you</strong> fallen victim to an <strong>Acas</strong> Imitator - allmay not be lost!You should seek legal advice as <strong>you</strong> may have a claim against the <strong>Acas</strong> Imitator and <strong>you</strong> maybe able to make a complaint to the Office <strong>of</strong> Fair Trading.*The only services we generally charge for are in relation to larger companies, onmediation, specific training or one <strong>of</strong>f projects tailored to their needs.
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