Transcript Document
EMPLOYMENT LAW
Indicative Reading
Shackleton, V., 1995, Business Leadership,
Routledge, London (ISBN: n/a); Nairns, J., 2006,
Employment Law for Business Students, Pitman
(ISBN: n/a), 3rd edition 2008 ; Kidner, R., 2006,
Blackstone's Employment Law Statutes, Oxford
(ISBN: n/a); Harrison, T., 2003, Employment Law,
Athenaeum Press, Gateshead, fifth edition
SOURCES OF EMPLOYMENT LAW
Sources of employment law:
Common law
Legislation
European law
Codes of practice
Regulations
INSTITUTIONS OF EMPLOYMENT LAW
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas)
Central Arbitration Committee (CAC)
The department of Trade and Industry and related
government departments (DTI)
Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR)
Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC
Commission for Racial Equality (CRE)
Disability Rights Commission (DRC)
Low Pay Commission (LPC)
Health and Safety Commission (HSC)
Courts and Tribunals
Courts – breach of common law or contract. Claims
concerning breach of contract, wrongful dismissal
and application for injunctions;
Employment tribunals (ET) – breach of a statute.
Claims concerning unfair dismissal, discrimination,
equal pay, redundancy pay, deductions from wages
and maternity rights. ET is only able to make awards
of up to £25000
County Court or High Court?
Depends on the monetary value attached to the claim
County Court – damages of £25000 or less
High Court – damages of over £50000 ( personal
injuries, employers seeking an injunction to prevent
strike action
Possible stages involved for a breach of
contract
European Court of Justice
House of Lords
Court of Appeal
County court/High Court
Human rights – Human Rights Act 1998
Art. 8 – right to respect for private and family
life
Art. 9 – right to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion
Art. 10 – freedom of expression
Art. 11 – freedom of assembly and
association
Art. 14 – prohibition of discrimination
Use of other courts
Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court hear
cases concerning the enforcement of health
and safety legislation
Employment Tribunal (ET)
Panel of three people – a legally qualified
chairman, representative of the employer
organisations and one representing employee
organisations
ET are bound by earlier decisions of EAT, CA,
HL and ECJ
Appeals are heard in the EAT
Possible stages involved in a claim alleging
breach of statute
European Court of Justice
House of Lords
Court of Appeal
Employment Appeal Tribunal
Employment Tribunal
Sources of Employment Law - legislation
Employment Act 2002 (EA 2002)
Employment relations Act 1999
Employment Relations Act 2004
Employment Rights Act 1996 ( most of the law on
individual employment rights)
Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation)
Act 1992 (most of the law on collective employment)
Equal Pay Act 1970
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Sex Discrimination Act 1986
Sources of Employment Law - legislation
Race relations Act 1976
Disability Discrimination Act 1995
Disability Discrimination Act 2005
Health and Safety at Work Act 1998
Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998
Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act
1993
Human Rights Act 1998
National Minimum Wage Act 1998
Race relations (Amendment) Act 2000
Data Protection Act 1998
Sources of Employment Law - legislation
The role of European Law – treaties, regulations,
directives, decisions, recommendations
Codes of Practice – to guide the parties as to what is
good practice, breach of a code is considered in
evidence in the court or tribunal
Regulations – made in addition to the main principles
contained in legislation ( more concrete and specific
hazards, ex. noise in the workplace)
Law reports and Case citation
Shepherd & Co Ltd v Jerrom [1986] 3 WLR 801;ICR
802;[1986] 3 all ER 589; [1986] IRLR 358
The third volume of the weekly Law reports at page
801
The industrial Cases Reports at page 802
The third volume of All England Law Reports at page
589
Industrial Relations Law reports at page 358