CHAPTER 19 - Legal Controls Over Employment

Question 1

WHAT ARE EQUALS OPPORTUNITIES?

Answer 1

if a business chooses a person because they are more skilled and better qualified than another, this would be legal, however, it is illegal in most countries to discriminate on the grounds of:

• gender
• race
• disability
• sexual preference
• religion
• age

Question 2

GENDER

Answer 2

gender discrimination ( sometimes called sex discrimination ) usually, occurs when a woman in the workplace does not receive equal treatment because she is female

• SEX DESCRIMINATION ACT 1975 : states that a person must not be discriminated against because of their gender.
• EQUAL PAY ACT 1970 : states that an employee doing the same or ‘broadly similar’ work as a member of staff of the opposite sex is entitled to equal rates of pay and working conditions

Question 3

RACE AND RELIGION

Answer 3

businesses must ensure that they do not discriminate on grounds of colour, race, ethnic origin, religion or nationality

• RACE RELATIONS ACT 1976 : makes it illegal to discriminate on grounds of race

Question 4

DISABILITY

Answer 4

employers are now obliged to make reasonable adjustments to their working practices and work environment to help accommodate disable employees:

• improve access to the workplace by widening doors and providing ramps for wheelchairs
• allow disable workers time to attend medical appointments
• allow more toma for training
• EQUALITY ACT 2010 : says ‘a disability is a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long - term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’.

Question 5

SEXUAL PREFERENCE

Answer 5

discrimination against people on grounds of their sexual preference is illegal in some countries, this is because laws have been passed to protect their rights

Question 6

AGE

Answer 6

age discrimination in the workplace occurs when a business decision is made on the grounds of a person’s age.

• for example : a person aged 32 is given promotion because another person, aged 66, was considered too old even though he was equally qualified and more experienced.

Question 7

MINIMUM WAGE LAWS

Answer 7

main reasons why governments set legal minimum wages:

• to benefit disadvantaged workers
• to reduce poverty
• to help businesses

Question 8

BENEFITS OF MINIMUM WAGES TO BUSINESSES

Answer 8

• people on low pay may be better motivated and more productive when they receive a pay rise resulting from the introduction of a minimum wage
• low wage earners across the nation will have more disposable income so demand for many goods and services will rise, this will help drive up sales and profits for some businesses
• businesses may experience lower rates of staff absence and better reliability