If you feel that your employer has treated you unfairly, or if you just want to know what your rights are, there are many sources of free advice available to you.

The links below deal mainly with the legal and practical aspects of employment disputes. If you feel deeply distressed or depressed by the situation in which you find yourself you can ring Vet Helpline on 07659 811 118 (local call rates apply, 24hr rapid response answer phone). Friendly people with intimate knowledge of the veterinary profession are there to talk to you in complete confidence.

As well as the links below, you might like to also explore the pages relating to unfair dismissal/redundancy, maternity/paternity issues, discrimination, bullying in the workplace and professional conduct issues.

• DirectGov
  
  The Government provides the following guidance on settling a dispute in the workplace
  
  Produced by the Central Office of Information, DirectGov provides information from across UK government departments a wide range of topics.
  Website: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/index.htm
  
  
• BVA Legal Advice Line
  
  BVA provides a free legal advice line for its members. The advice line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is manned by a team of legal advisors, mainly lawyers, who have a range of expertise covering all aspects of the law. 
  
  Members are able to fax documents or agreements where they require advice, but advisers will not write on a member’s behalf. All calls are treated as confidential and are recorded for future reference.
  
  The resource is for BVA members only – the phone number is available from the members section of the BVA website. A valid membership number is required in order to access the BVA legal advice line.
  
  
• BVA Guide to Contracts of Employment for Veterinary Surgeons in Private Practice. Available free of charge to BVA members at http://www.bva.co.uk/members/resource/publications.asp#guides
  
  
• SPVS members can contact their Recent Graduate Support Officer (RGSO), via the SPVS Office, for a general chat about your problem and the circumstances in which you find yourself. The RGSO team are experienced practitioners who are sympathetic to the needs of the employed veterinary surgeon but have the knowledge to advise them on all sorts of issues to do with, for example, employment contracts, and professional matters or just to give support at difficult times. 
  Tel: 01926 410454 or email office@spvs.org.uk
  
  
• SPVS have a range of services for employed veterinary surgeons including CV reading, information booklets and an email discussion list confined to those less than five years qualified.
  Website: http://www.spvs.org.uk/site/content/view/27/37/
  
  
• Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS):
  
  ACAS aims to improve organisations and working life through better employment relations. They provide up-to-date information, independent advice, high quality training and they work with employers and employees to solve problems and improve performance. You can call the ACAS helpline on 08457 474747 from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday.
  Website: http://www.acas.org.uk/
  
  
• Citizens’ Advice Bureau:
  
  The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their employment, legal, money and other problems by providing free information and advice from over 3,000 locations, and by influencing policymakers. The majority of their advisers are trained volunteers, helping people to resolve nearly 5.5 million problems every year.
  Website: http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
  
  
• BBC Consumer Guides:
  
  Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/guides_to/employment_index.shtml