The London firms interested in the service should contact Lionel Harrison at Acas on 020 7396 5136, or visit the Acas website at www.acas.org.uk. The programme was originally piloted in East London and will run until September this year.

In a related story, recent research from information solutions provider GEE Consulting has revealed that 90% of SME managers find it difficult to keep abreast of employment legislation. Findings showed that basic contractual arrangements are misunderstood by many small employers, leaving them open to the threat of legal action, and that there is also a lack of knowledge about basic employment rights.

“The law keeps changing so itÂ’s important that smaller organisations are aware of their responsibilities. They are no longer exempt from certain legislation and need to understand the law as it applies to them,” cautions Stuart Chamberlain, employment law specialist at Consult GEE.