legislation Flashcards
what are the four main employment legislations?
- Equality Act 2010
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- National Wage Regulations
what are the nine protected characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010?
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion
- sex
- sexual orientation
what are six impacts of the equality act 2010?
Policies and procedures – organisations need to have policies and procedures in place to ensure that there are equal job opportunities for all. They must also prevent discrimination across all aspects of the organisation.
Employee training – staff must be trained on the requirements of equal opportunity legislations.
Recruitment procedures – organisations may have to revise their recruitment policies to ensure there is no discriminatory wording in job adverts and no discrimination during the recruitment process.
Accessibility – the business needs to ensure it is accessible to all. This may require investment in equipment such as ramps or the installation of lifts.
Prosecution – the organisation may be prosecuted if they fail to comply with regulations resulting in a fine.
Investigation – an organisation must investigate any accusations of discrimination or harassment against employees or customers
what is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974?
the main piece of legislation covering health and safety in the workplace. It outlines the responsibilities of both the employer and employee in ensuring there is a safe working environment
what are four employee responsibilities?
- To take reasonable care of your own and others safety
- Not to interfere or misuse anything that has been provided for your health and safety such as safety equipment
- To cooperate with your employer by undergoing training, wearing protective clothing and by following health and safety policies
- To report any illness or injury that will affect your ability to work
what are four employer responsibilities?
- Ensure health and safety training is undertaken by all staff
- Provide appropriate protective clothing and equipment
- Make sure all facilities meet minimal health and safety requirement in regards to ventilation, temperature and noise
- Have an up-to-date health and safety policy
what are three impacts of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974?
Safety equipment – the organisation must provide employees with appropriate safety equipment which may increase costs.
Legal action – if the organisation does not comply with health and safety regulations, they may be subject to legal action from employees who have been injured. This may result in the organisation having to pay
compensation
Business closure – a business that does not comply with health and safety regulations is at risk of being closed temporarily while the issue is fixed, or could be shut down permanently.
what are national minimum wage regulations?
National Minimum Wage Regulations sets out the minimum amount of pay a worker is entitled to per hour. This wage is based on a worker’s age. There is also a specific rate for apprentices
what is the national living wage?
specifically for workers aged 23 years and over and it is the lowest wage that can legally be paid to these workers
what is the impact of National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage Regulations?
Increased costs – an increase in National Minimum Wage will increase the costs for an organisation which may result in lower profits.
Reduction in staff – an organisation may have to reduce the number of people they employee or reduce staff hours to be able to afford a rise in wages.
Backdated payment – if an organisation is found to be paying less than the National Minimum Wage, they will be required to make a backdated payment to employees.
