Workers Rights in the UK

Workers Rights

• Right to fair pay: National Minimum Wage Act 1998 ensures a minimum hourly wage for workers
• Right to fair working hours: Working Time Regulations 1998 stipulates maximum working hours, rest breaks, and holidays
• Right to a safe working environment: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires employers to ensure a safe and healthy work environment
• Right to freedom from discrimination: Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination based on protected characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race)

Employment Contracts

• Types of contracts:
  • Fixed-term contracts: limited duration, specifies end date
  • Permanent contracts: no end date, ongoing employment
  • Zero-hours contracts: no guaranteed hours, flexible schedule
• Key terms:
  • Implied terms: duties, obligations, and rights implied by law (e.g., duty of mutual trust and confidence)
  • Express terms: written or verbal agreements between employer and employee (e.g., job description, salary)

Discrimination Law

• The Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination based on:
  • Protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation
• Types of discrimination:
  • Direct discrimination: treating someone less favorably due to a protected characteristic
  • Indirect discrimination: policies or practices that disproportionately affect a group with a protected characteristic
  • Harassment: unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic

Health And Safety

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974:
  • Employers' duties: ensure a safe working environment, provide training, and conduct risk assessments
  • Employees' duties: take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013: employers must report certain workplace accidents, diseases, and near-misses

Unfair Dismissal

• Employment Rights Act 1996: outlines the process for unfair dismissal claims
• Automatically unfair reasons for dismissal:
  • Pregnancy or maternity
  • Family-related reasons (e.g., parental leave, adoption)
  • Whistleblowing
  • Assertion of statutory rights (e.g., minimum wage, working hours)
• Fair reasons for dismissal:
  • Conduct (e.g., misconduct, poor performance)
  • Capability (e.g., illness, injury)
  • Redundancy
  • Some other substantial reason

Workers Rights

• National Minimum Wage Act 1998 ensures a minimum hourly wage for workers
• Working Time Regulations 1998 stipulates maximum working hours, rest breaks, and holidays
• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires employers to ensure a safe and healthy work environment
• Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination based on protected characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race)

Employment Contracts

• Fixed-term contracts: limited duration, specifies end date
• Permanent contracts: no end date, ongoing employment
• Zero-hours contracts: no guaranteed hours, flexible schedule
• Implied terms: duties, obligations, and rights implied by law (e.g., duty of mutual trust and confidence)
• Express terms: written or verbal agreements between employer and employee (e.g., job description, salary)

Discrimination Law

• Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination based on:
  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage and civil partnership
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Race
  • Religion or belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation
• Types of discrimination:
  • Direct discrimination: treating someone less favorably due to a protected characteristic
  • Indirect discrimination: policies or practices that disproportionately affect a group with a protected characteristic
  • Harassment: unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic

Health And Safety

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974:
  • Employers' duties: ensure a safe working environment, provide training, and conduct risk assessments
  • Employees' duties: take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013:
  • Employers must report certain workplace accidents, diseases, and near-misses

Unfair Dismissal

• Employment Rights Act 1996: outlines the process for unfair dismissal claims
• Automatically unfair reasons for dismissal:
  • Pregnancy or maternity
  • Family-related reasons (e.g., parental leave, adoption)
  • Whistleblowing
  • Assertion of statutory rights (e.g., minimum wage, working hours)
• Fair reasons for dismissal:
  • Conduct (e.g., misconduct, poor performance)
  • Capability (e.g., illness, injury)
  • Redundancy
  • Some other substantial reason