Chapters 11&12 Flashcards
Contract of employment
Offer, Acceptance, Consideration, Act
No formalities are required to have a written contract, can be oral BUT the employment act 1996 stipulates that a written document outlining the main terms of employment must be supplied within two months of the date of the commencement. It must include
- job title description
- length of notice period
- names of both parties and commencement date
- rate and method of calculating pay
- frequency of payment
- holiday pay entitlements and rates
- hours of work
Employment contract - implied terms?
Will be supplemented by terms implied from 3 main sources?
Statute - eg equality act
Common Law - duties imposed on employ[ers/ees]
Custom - Deductions for poor workmanship were commonplace in the cotton industry
Collective Agreements - eg between employers/trade unions
EMPLOYEE RULEBOOKS may not be implied as contractual terms but disobeying them may mean the employee isn’t following reasonable orders
Common law duties of employers
- mutual trust and confidence
- pay wages
- indemnify employee for losses/expenses occurred
- provide for the health and safety of the employee
- provide a reasonable amount of work for apprentices and piecemeal workers
Common law (implied) duties of employees
- duty of honest and faithful service
- reasonable competence
- obedience of laws and reasonable orders
- account for all monies and property
- reasonable care and skill in the performance of their work
- mutual co-operation
- not to misuse confidential info
- personal service
NO duty to provide a reference when employee leaves service but if they volunteer and don’t provide one, they’re not being fair
Statutory Duties of employers
pay and equality (age,disability,sex,race,religion)
- provide itemised pay statements
- time off work (trade union, public duties)
- time off work (maternity/paternity/redundant looking for work time)
- health and safety at work act 1974
Ending the employment relationship
Can end without a breach of contract in the following ways:
- serving a notice
- payment in lieu of notice
- expiry of a fixed term
- mutual agreement
- frustration
Notice periods
Typically agreed between the parties in the written contract of employment. It depends on the length of the employees service.
1 month - less than 2 years = atleast 1 week required
more than 2 years = 1 week for each continuous year worked
12 years or more = minimum of 12 weeks
Dismissal Definition
Refers to situations where the employer decides to terminate the employment relationship.
Also includes circumstances where the employer chooses not to renew a fixed term contract
(summary, constructive, wrongful and unfair)
Summary Dismissal
Employee sacked on the spot eg without any notice
only justified if employer can demonstrate that the employee has committed an act that equates to a conditional breach of contract eg gross misconduct BUT if not then the employee has been wrongfully/unfairly dismissed.
Constructive dismissal
when an employee has resigned but is able to prove they did so under duress from their employer eg victimising/harassing staff, making significant changes to the location of the work at short notice, changing terms of the contract without consultation
A successful claim = worker can start an unfair dismissal claim
but if the employee doesnt resign, theyve accepted the employers breach and waived any rights
Wrongful Dismissal
common law claim that can be made where an employee has been dismissed without justification, often when they have been denied their required notice period
Commonly claimed by employees that dont qualify for unfair dismissal as theyve been working for less than 2 years.
Comparable to breach of contract and may be a claim for damages.
JUSTIFIABLE REASONS ARE
- wilful disobedience of a lawful order
- misconduct
- dshonesty
- incompetence/neglect
- gross negligence
- immorality
- drunkenness
Unfair dismissal
Statutory claim made by qualified employees who have been ‘unfairly dismissed’
- employees employed for more than 2 years, have been dismissed and unfairly so can seek remedies. cant be people outside of the UK, for taking part in unofficial strike action or an excluded profession eg police.
Must bring a claim to the employment tribunal within 3 months of dismissal. Employer will try to prove 1/5 justifiable reasons:
- lack of capability/qualifications
- gross misconduct
- general redundancy
- breach of employers statutory duty due to legal prohibition/restriction
- other substantial reason eg married competitor
Written Disciplinary Procedures
Companies commonly have these rules and procedures to deal with employee performance and conduct. These rules should:
- be notified to all staff
- state whats acceptable and not
- actions taken if rules broken
- when staff may face disciplinary hearing
- provide the name of someone to appeal to if theyre unhappy with a disciplinary decision
- examples of gross misconduct
Then an organisation disciplinary policy should cover:
- purpose and scope of policy
- disciplinary offences
- formal disciplinary hearing procedure
- what to expect at a disciplinary hearing
- gross misconduct and summary dismissal
- appealing a decision
Redundancy
A fair reason for dismissal:
- cessation of business / business in the place where the employee worked / of the business for the purposes for which the person was employed
- 2 years continuous employment have been solved
BUT an employee can lose the right to claim redundancy if;
- they have been dismissed for misconduct
- the employer makes an offer of alternative employment eg renewing and they refuse
- the claim is made out of time after 6 months
- they decide to leave on hearing the risk of redundancy but before officially being made
The calculation of pay is calculated linked to age and length of service (basic pay compensation)
Remedies
Wrongful dismissal = breach of contract and so the employee can claim damages
- of up to £25,000 to the employment tribunal
- over £25,000 to the county/high court
Bought to employment tribunal and they have the power of;
reinstatement = restored to old position
re-engagement = different but comparable position eg diff department/branch
compensation =
- basic award: linked to age/length of service
- compensatory: loss of wages may be awarded in addition to basic award at the discretion of the tribunal
- additional award: up to 52 weeks’ pay may be granted in cases of sex/race discrimination