Employment law guide

Introduction

The law concerning employment and regulating what happens in the workplace is one of the fastest changing areas of law. The past decade has seen the coming into force of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, existing law consolidated in the Employment Rights Act 1996, followed by the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, The Working Time Regulations 1998, Employment Relations Act 1999, Employment Act 2002, and most recently the Employment Act 2004.

There have also been new regulations covering part time and fixed term workers, discrimination and employment agencies and Employment Tribunals. Workers’ rights have been extended beyond recognition with the jurisdiction of the Employment Tribunals extended to everyone who has been employed more than 12 months.

Now employers must use the new statutory dismissal and grievance procedures from 1st October 2004 and all employers are subject to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Prior to 1st October 2004, 90 per cent of employers were exempt from the duty not to discriminate against people with disabilities. Also they did not have to issue written details of their disciplinary rules and procedures. That all changed on 1st October 2004, in what has been described by some commentators as the most sweeping change in employment law for 30 years.

What follows is some simple guidance to some basic areas of employment law:

Employment Law Guide

What is employment?

The contract of employment

Workers v Self-employed

The National Minimum Wage

Working Time Regulations

Employment Tribunals

Dismissal