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Employment Law

Overview

  • Credit value: 15 credits at Level 7
  • Convenor: Vanessa Iwowo
  • Assessment: a 3000-word case study (100%)

Module description

Next to protection against discrimination through the Equality Act 2010, employment/labour law extends its protection to human rights in the workplace more generally and shields the power of workers to collectively organise and defend their interests against employers. Industrial relations, mainly collective bargaining and organisation in trade unions, are an important area of labour law.

This module will provide you with an understanding of the fast-moving legal rules in this area of employment relations.

Indicative module syllabus

  • Introduction to Labour Law: History and Rationales                
  • Contract of Employment: Personal Scope and Content
  • Human Rights and Equality at Work: Direct and Indirect Discrimination
  • Human Rights and Equality at Work: Equal Pay for Equal Work and Positive Action
  • Statutory Rights: Minimum Wage and Working Time
  • Termination of Employment: General Framework on Wrongful and Unfair Dismissal
  • Termination of Employment: Unfair Dismissal and Redundancy
  • Collective Labour Rights: Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining
  • Collective Labour Rights: Information, Consultation and the Right to Strike

Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you will:

  • be well-informed about current employment law legislation
  • be able to explain the core principles that underpin employment law as it applies in the UK (or Ireland), including common law, their purpose, origin and practical implications
  • be able to advise colleagues about significant legal implications of decisions, plans or proposals in the employment field
  • be able to advise about the appropriate action that should be taken in workplace scenarios where employment regulation applies
  • be able to play a leading role in determining the appropriate organisational response when legal action on the part of a worker or employee is anticipated, threatened or taken
  • be able to participate in the preparation, presentation and settling of employment tribunal cases
  • know how to keep your knowledge of developments in employment law up to date and advise about the impact of these developments on employment policy and practice in your organisation.