Labour Law is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the laws governing the workplace and the relationship between employers and employees. It not only prepares students for a career in legal practice, focusing on employment issues, but also provides invaluable insights into the broader context of labour rights and their importance in promoting fair and equitable work environments.
Introduction
This chapter sets the stage by offering an overview of labour law, including its history, purpose, and the importance of balancing the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees. It introduces key concepts and the scope of the module.
Enforcement and Tribunals
This chapter discusses the mechanisms through which labour laws are enforced, including the role of tribunals. It covers how disputes are resolved, the jurisdiction of tribunals, and the process of appealing tribunal decisions.
Contract of Employment
This chapter examines the legal foundation of the employment relationship, including the formation, content, and termination of employment contracts. It addresses different types of contracts and what they must include by law.
Employment Status
This chapter delves into the distinctions between various types of employment status (e.g., employee, worker, self-employed) and the legal rights and obligations associated with each.
Employment Rights
This chapter covers the statutory rights of employees and workers, including rights related to pay, working hours, leave entitlements, and protections against unfair treatment and discrimination.
Pension, Working Time, Child Care
This chapter looks at specific employment rights related to pension schemes, regulations governing working hours, rest, and holidays, as well as rights concerning maternity, paternity, adoption leave, and child care.
Employment Duties
This chapter focuses on the obligations employees owe to their employers, such as duties of fidelity, obedience, and diligence, as well as the duty to perform the work personally.
Confidential Information
This chapter discusses the protection of trade secrets and confidential information within the employment relationship, including employees' duties not to disclose such information both during and after employment.
Employer’s Various Liability
This chapter explores the various liabilities that can be imposed on employers, including vicarious liability for employees' actions, liability for breach of contract, and liability under employment protection legislation.
Health and Safety
This chapter covers the legal obligations of employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees at work, including risk assessments, safety policies, and employee training.
Wages and Tax
This chapter discusses the regulation of wages, including minimum wage laws, pay structures, and the legal requirements for tax deductions and social security contributions.
Umbrella Company and IR35
This chapter addresses the use of umbrella companies in employment relationships and the IR35 rules that aim to combat tax avoidance through 'disguised employment' arrangements.
Workplace Discrimination
This chapter explores the laws protecting workers from discrimination on grounds such as race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, and religion or belief.
Trade Unions
This chapter examines the role and legal status of trade unions, including rights related to union membership, union activities within the workplace, and protection against discrimination for union members.
Collective Bargaining
This chapter discusses the process through which employers and trade unions negotiate employment terms and conditions on behalf of employees, including the legal effect of collective agreements.
Industrial Action
This chapter covers the legal framework surrounding strikes and other forms of industrial action, including the rights and protections for workers participating in such actions and the limitations on those actions.
Information and Consultation
This chapter looks at the requirements for employers to inform and consult employees on business matters that affect them, including restructuring and changes in employment conditions.
Termination of Employment
This chapter explores the various ways in which an employment relationship can end, including voluntary resignation, mutual agreement, and retirement.
Dismissal
This chapter focuses on the termination of employment by the employer, covering fair and unfair dismissal, constructive dismissal, and the procedures employers must follow.
Redundancy
This chapter discusses the legal provisions related to redundancy, including the selection process, redundancy payments, and rights to consultation and appeal.
Transfer of Undertakings
This chapter addresses the legal implications of business transfers on employment, including the protection of employees' rights under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations.
International Labour Law
This chapter explores the impact of international labour standards and conventions on domestic employment law, including the role of the International Labour Organization and European Union directives.
This module is essential for aspiring lawyers who wish to specialise in labour law. Through detailed examination of each topic, students gain a robust understanding of the rights and duties of employers and employees, the mechanisms for dispute resolution, and the role of law in addressing emerging challenges in the workplace.
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