Chapter 4 Employment Law

Abstract

Employment laws are put in place to protect employees from any mistreatment from their employers, and are a vital part of a country’s efforts to protect its citizens. Some countries are regarded as having very restrictive employment laws whilst others are regarded as more relaxed. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), who analyse and compare employment protections in various countries, the UK, Canada and the USA have the most lenient laws whereas France, Spain and Turkey have the strictest. This chapter will focus on UK employment law, where workers’ rights can be traced back to the 1300s and significant changes are still occurring today. By examining the UK’s history of employment law, the contract of employment, corresponding rights and duties of both the employer and employee and the circumstances in which the contract of employment might come to an end, students will gain a valuable insight into a unique area of UK business law.