Whenever you sign on at a new job or role, there are always going to be a few terms and conditions you need to abide by – in the form of your new contract. However, did you know that employment law exists to help ensure all parties are protected?
Employment law is a common source of queries for many people working all kinds of jobs across the UK. However, it is simple to understand once you know who it affects, and why. As always, we are here to provide you with useful details and information regarding all manner of laws affecting British citizens up and down the country.
What is Employment Law?
Employment law, at its most basic, is a series of regulations. These help to make sure that employees have certain rights, and that they are legally protected, when they sign onto new jobs and new lines of work.
As you may already know, employment can be tricky to untangle. It requires a great deal of contract signing and filing! However, without such contracts, employees and applicants may find themselves at risk of losing rights at work and may even find themselves at risk of exploitation.
Therefore, there are specific weights and measures in place to ensure that employers continue to make things fair for their staff while continuing to run their own businesses as they expect.
What Does Employment Law Cover?
As you may imagine, employment law as a concept covers a lot of ground. As such, this means you can expect any aspect of a working contract to fall under its oversight.
For example, employment law covers concerns regarding wages. You may expect to find rules set through employment law regarding holiday allowances, sick pay, maternity and paternity pay, and also TUPE, which comes into effect during redundancy and redeployment.
Employment law regulations will also cover health and safety. Health and safety regulations will vary from industry to industry. However, this side of the law ensures that employers have provisions in place so that employees are safe to do the work they expect, and that they receive the requisite training to do such work – as well as to use specific tools and vehicles, for example.
Importantly, employment law also covers grievances. Specifically, the law requires employers to adhere to regulations regarding complaints about discrimination, whether as a result of gender, age, ability, race, or sexuality. Employment law also protects whistleblowers and lays out fair tribunal and dismissal procedures.
What Do I Do if I Have a Grievance?
Often, it is best to consult with human resources at your place of work if you have a concern regarding the way you are being employed. Alternatively, if you are a member of a union, such as the National Union of Teachers, you may consult them for support.
If you would like to find out more about how we, Oxford Employment Law, can help you, get in touch today on 01865 487 136 or head over to our contact page for more details.