Employer and employee relations

Question 1

What are the legal duties of employer

Answer 1

1 under health and after legislation they have a duty to take all responsible care to ensure wellbeing and safety of employees
2 legal responsibility to ensure working environments are safe
3 that employees are trained to deal with the risks involved with their job
4 ensuring employees abide by health and safety rules

Question 2

Employee must have a written contract of employment within 12 weeks of starting employment what must it state

Answer 2

1 levels of pay , holiday entitlement , pension rights
2 disciplinary procedures and length of notice period

Question 3

Why is there also protection with European legislation

What further rights does it give

Answer 3

UK signed up for the Chapter of the Maastricht Treaty

1 legal limits on hours of working week
2 paid maternity and paternity leave

Question 4

What other protection do employees have

Answer 4

Under anti discrimination law it is illegal to discriminate on the grounds of race, colour, sex, disability age

Question 5

When was minimum wage introduced how much was it

Answer 5

1999 £3.60 an hour

Question 6

What was minimum wage in October 2015 by group

Answer 6

Adults - £6.70 hour
18-20 yrs £5.30 hour
Under 18 £3.87 hour

Question 7

What was the impact of minimum wage on employment

Answer 7

Research said introduction of minimum wage had not caused job losses or upset industry pay structures

Question 8

Effect of minimum wage on employees

Answer 8

1 most not affected as on 8% of workforce were in jobs paying below minimum wage
2 there was pressure to keep differential so there was pressure for those above minimum wage move up too
3 workers that benefited most were younger workers in low paid industries
4 it has allow them to move away from poverty
5 employment has grown in low paid sectors

Question 9

Effects of minimum wage on employers

Answer 9

1 argued minimum wage has discouraged foreign investment
2 businesses have moved productions and investment to low labour countries
3 overall wage costs have increased because of pressure to keep existing wage differentials that already existed
4wher rising wage costs have been more than income has meant closure of businesses

Question 10

What is the equal opportunities act 2010

Answer 10

It legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace

Question 11

List the protected characteristics that equal opportunities act protects

Answer 11

1 age
2 being or becoming transexual
3 being in married or civil partnership
4 disability
4 race
5 religion
6 sex
7 sexual orientation

Question 12

List 3 situations regarded as discrimination

Answer 12

1 direct discrimination - treating someone with a protected characteristic less favorably than others
2 indirect discrimination - put rules in place that apply to everyone that put people with a protected characteristic at an unfair advantage
3 harassment - unwanted behaviour linked to a protected characteristic
4 victimization - treating someone unfairly because they have complained about discrimination

Question 13

In the workplace what does law protect people against

Answer 13

1 dismissal
2 unfair terms and conditions
3 pay benefits
4 promotion opportunities
5 recruitment
6 redundancy

Question 14

What are trade unions

Answer 14

Organisations that represent workers, purpose to protect and improve members terms and conditions

Question 15

What are general trade unions

Answer 15

Represent a wide range of workers

Question 16

Why do people join in trae unions

Answer 16

1 representation - union represents a member faced with redundancy grievance or disciplinary
2 negotiation of pay and conditions with an employer- by collective bargaining , representing not just one but a large group
3 ensure high standards of health and safety
4 members can benefit from a wide range of services not directly related to work
5unions support development of equal opportunity policies

Question 17

What is the role of trade unions in industrial dispute

Answer 17

1. Is there is a disagreement between employee and employer the unions local representitive - the hop steward who will negotiate with management .
   2 when agreements can not be resolved straight away the national trade union official may be consulted. Usually disputes are solved without industrial action but there are occasions when sides can’t agree a strike is called

Question 18

Why are most employers happy to have trade unions representing their workers

Answer 18

1 collective bargaining assists employers because it simplifies the process of negotiating with workers - less time consuming and disruptive
2 trade unions can help ensure agreements are complied with by workers and can help with communications between management and workers
3 trade unions are able to take a longer term view than individuals and can see why difficult decisions have to be mede

Question 19

List types of industrial action

Answer 19

1 overtime ban - workers only do basic hours
2 work to rule - workers stick slowly to rules slowing down production
3 strikes withdrawal of labour - both side have much to lose

Question 20

Who are ACAS

Answer 20

An outside body used to help find a solution acceptable to both sides
They have 2 roles to conciliate - offer and suggest solutions and arbitrate make a decision on the dispute