NASUWT Representatives

www.nasuwt.org.uk25Services for membersThe NASUWT’s legal and casework services for members, and in some cases their familiestoo, is the envy of many other organisations. The Union uses solicitors who specialise inemployment, personal injury, trade union and criminal law. More information can be found inthe Membership Services Booklet and the NASUWT Membership Services Diary.Helping members in financial difficultyThe NASUWT Benevolent Fund is available to members, former members, the dependantsof members and former members, and dependants of deceased members, provided asubscription has been paid to the Union (and former members have not joined anotherteaching trade union). Sometimes, members experience financial hardship through no faultof their own and as a result of unforeseen circumstances. These situations can arise becauseof chronic illness, bereavement, an accident or loss of employment through dismissal orredundancy. The NASUWT Benevolent Fund was created to provide effective short-termassistance during such difficulties.For those members who have accumulated large or unmanageable debts, the BenevolentFund provides access to a money advice service through Payplan, which is a free andconfidential debt advice company.A member seeking financial help should contact their Local Association or the Legal andCasework Team at NASUWT Headquarters to arrange a visit from a local benevolence officerwho will complete the application form on the member’s behalf. All information will remainstrictly confidential.Employment-related legal serviceslllCasework advice and assistance may be provided in respect of matters arising from or inthe course of a member’s teaching duties. The Union’s casework services include:2 advice on all aspects of employment;2 the defence of disciplinary allegations or competency proceedings;2 representation, where claims are deemed to have reasonable prospects of success, atEmployment Tribunals (ETs), for cases such as breach of contract, unfair dismissal,redundancy and discrimination;2 accidents at work or on a journey to and from work where the accident is caused bythe negligence of a third party (see Accidents, page 28);2 assaults at work (see Assaults, page 31);2 criminal allegations (see Allegations, page 29);2 termination of employment via a mutual agreement.Where it is judged necessary and appropriate, legal assistance will be provided at no costto the member.NASUWT members who were not in membership or were three or more months in arrearswith their subscriptions at the time the issue occurred are not entitled to caseworkrepresentation and/or legal assistance and cannot establish entitlement to representationby subsequently paying arrears. Retired, former, career-break and associate memberswho were in full membership at the time the issue occurred, and in the case of formermembers, providing they have not joined another teacher trade union, are also entitled torepresentation.Background Information