Protecting Staff Flashcards
To prevent exploitation, the government has passed a number of laws that safeguard staff, what are they?
Workers are guaranteed a minimum hourly wage rate of £6.31 per hour in 2013.
Race, sex, age or disability discrimination is illegal. Businesses must be careful to treat all workers fairly. They must offer equal pay and promotion opportunities for women and ethnic minorities.
The EU Working Time Directive sets a limit on the number of hours staff can work in a week.
Parents are entitled to paid leave from work soon after their children are born. The firms must keep their post open for when they return from maternity or paternity leave.
What does protecting workers right also increase?
Protecting workers rights increases the costs of firms.
Whats redundancy?
Businesses operate in a dynamic and competitive market. Workers can lose their job through redundancy if the business suffers a fall in sales. Falling sales means that a business needs fewer staff and some posts are no longer required. Also, low revenues may lead a company to try to cut staffing costs.
Redundancy procedures must be fair, for example firms can use a last-in-first-out method to shed staff. Redundant workers receive compensation according to the number of years with the firm.
Why are there health and safety procedures?
Health and safety procedures are put in place to prevent staff from being harmed or becoming ill due to work.
Whats the health and safety at work act 1974?
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the United Kingdom.
What are businesses required to do in terms of health and safety?
All businesses are required by law to:
Display a health and safety poster.
Carry out a risk assessment to identify workplace risks, and then put sensible measures in place to control them. Potential risks include trip hazards and asbestos. The extra paperwork increases the total costs of the business.
How do businesses have responsibility?
Businesses are also responsible for ensuring the health and safety of their customers.
