Introduction (1686 words)

Employment law continues to change and expand, with the introduction every year of new legislation and judgments that affect the way the law is ...

1. The employment law system (4332 words)

Employment rights in the UK come from two main sources. The first is legislation enacted by Parliament in the form of Acts of Parliament ...

2. Categories of worker (6816 words)

There are legal distinctions between an employee, a worker and someone who is genuinely self-employed. These distinctions are important because individuals have different statutory ...

3. Starting work and the employment contract (8570 words)

Most employers require a reference before they will employ someone. Young workers starting work for the first time are likely to come with references ...

4. Rights to pay and conditions (5485 words)

Under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, UK workers have the right to a minimum wage, currently set at £5.35 an hour for those ...

5. Union and collective organisation (5451 words)

Union and collective organisation rights are principally governed by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA), which was amended by the ...

6. Discrimination (13475 words)

The law prohibits discrimination in employment on the following specific grounds: sex and transsexuality, race and nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief and ...

7. Sick pay and sickness absence (3406 words)

An employer must provide its employees with details of their sick pay entitlement as part of the written statement of employment particulars (see "The ...

8. Leave for working parents (4813 words)

The Work and Families Act 2006 introduced a number of new rights for parents and carers. These include an increase in paid maternity and ...

9. Industrial action (6014 words)

The law relating to industrial action covers not just strikes but lockouts, go slows, working to rule, refusing to cross picket lines and refusing ...

10. Dismissal (14558 words)

Unfair dismissal accounts for the largest single category of claims coming before tribunals, with thousands of people pursuing claims every year. The right to ...

11. Redundancy (7138 words)

An employee is dismissed for redundancy, and may be entitled to redundancy pay, if either of the following occurs (section 139, ERA 96): ...

12. Business transfers and contracting out (6591 words)

If a business is sold (other than through a share transfer) or if a service is privatised or contracted out, the employees who work ...

Further information (641 words)

Throughout the booklet references have been made to the relevant statutes. Copies of these can be obtained directly from The Stationery Office (tel: 0870 ...