Labour Market Legislation

Two Main Areas of Employment Legislation:

• Individual Employment

• Industrial Relations

Pay- Equality:

• The basic rule: Men and Women are entitled to equal pay for work of equal value

Pay- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage:

• The National Minimum Wage (NMW) is the minimum pay per hour most workers under the age of 25 are entitled to by law. The government’s National Living Wage (NLW) is the minimum pay per hour most workers aged 25 and over are entitled to by law. The rate will depend on a worker’s age and if they are an apprentice

Discrimination is Illegal on the Basis of:

• Sex, including pregnancy and maternity

• Marital/Civil partnership status

• A person’s disability

• Race

• Age

• Sexual orientation

• Religion/belief

• Trade union membership or non-membership

• Status as a fixed or part-time worker

Discrimination Laws Apply Across All Aspects of Human Resource Management:

• Recruitment

• Employee contract- terms and conditions

• Promotions and transfers

• Providing training

• Deciding what benefits employees receive

• Employee dismissal

Legislation gives Employees ‘Rights’:

• Something to which an employee is entitled which is protected by law

  • Reasonable notice before dismissal

  • Right to redundancy

  • Right to a written employment contract

  • Right to request flexible working

  • Right to be paid national minimum wage

  • Right to take off for parenting

The law also regulates industrial relations:

• Protection from unfair dismissal

• Employers must recognise the union if>50% of staff are members

• Regulation of procedures for industrial action (e.g. ballots)

• Role/powers of Employment Tribunals

• EU- Works Council requirements