Topic 17 Employers and Employees

Question 1

What is an employee?

Answer 1

An employee is someone who works for somebody else in return for payment.

Question 2

What is an employer?

Answer 2

An employer is a person who hires others to work for them in return for payment.

Question 3

What is a right?

Answer 3

A right is something we are entitled to.

Question 4

What is a responsibility?

Answer 4

A responsibility is something we are required to do.

Question 5

List 3 rights of an employer

Answer 5

Employer Rights:
• To expect employees to behave honestly
• To hire the most suitable and qualified people to fill vacancies that may arise.
• To run their business as they see fit.

Question 6

List 3 responsibilities of an employer

Answer 6

Employer Responsibilities:
• To treat all employees equally.
• To operate a healthy and safe working environment.
• To give employees the correct number of holidays.

Question 7

List 3 rights of an employee

Answer 7

Employee Rights:
• To be paid at least the minimum wage.
• To receive a payslip showing their wages and deductions.
• To work in safe and healthy conditions.

Question 8

List 3 responsibilities of an employee

Answer 8

Employee Responsibilities:
• To pay the required taxes from their wages.
• To respect the property of their employer.
• To follow all health and safety procedures.

Question 9

What does an employer have to do when they recruit staff?

Answer 9

When an employer is recruiting staff, he/she needs to:
• Draw up a job description.
• Advertise the job, usually online.

Question 10

What is a probationary period?

Answer 10

A probationary period is a trial period. The new employee may be let go after this period if they do not prove suitable for the job.

Question 11

What is a contract of employment?

Answer 11

A contract of employment is a written document containing all the details about the job being offered to an employee.

Question 12

What are industrial relationships?

Answer 12

Industrial relations is defined as the relationship that exists between employers and employees in a particular workplace.

Question 13

What are the benefits of a healthy relationship between an employer and employee?

Answer 13

If the relationship between the employer and employees in a particular workplace is good, it can lead to many benefits for both sides:
• Fewer disagreements and disputes
• Employees will be happier in their work, which will lead to higher profits and a happier work environment.

Question 14

What is a trade union and give examples

Answer 14

A Trade Union is an organisation of workers whose main objectives are to protect the jobs of their members and improve their pay and conditions.
Examples include:
• The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI)
• Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO)

Question 15

What is a shop steward?

Answer 15

The shop steward is the person elected by the trade union members to represent them in their workplace.

Question 16

What is a industrial dispute?

Answer 16

When a serious disagreement happens between management and workers, it is called an industrial dispute. These can occur when:
• A worker is suspended or dismissed.
• Workers want an increase in pay.

Question 17

Under what conditions does an official strike occur?

Answer 17

An official strike occurs under the following conditions:
• The trade union organises a secret vote in which the members decide whether to go on strike or not.
• Th Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) makes the strike official.
• The employer is given one week’s notice of the strike.

Question 18

What is a sympathetic strike?

Answer 18

In a sympathetic strike, workers who have no problems with their employer go on strike to support their colleagues who do have a problem.

Question 19

What is a wildcat/lightening strike?

Answer 19

In a wildcat/lightening strike, the workers suddenly call a strike and walk out of work, without holding a vote or giving notice to the employer. This type of strike in an unofficial strike.

Question 20

What is work to rule?

Answer 20

A work-to-rule strike is also known as a go-slow. A work to rule operates as follows:
• The workers come to work as normal.
• The workers refuse to do any overtime.

Question 21

When is a dismissal fair?

Answer 21

A dismissal is fair if it is because of the following reasons:
• Misconduct
• Incompetence (unqualified for the job)
• If there is no work for them (redundancy).

Question 22

What is the unfair dismissals act?

Answer 22

Unfair Dismissals Acts, 1977-2015
Employees cannot be dismissed from their jobs unfairly. A dismissal is unfair if it is because of any of the following reasons:
• The worker’s political or religious beliefs.
• Their race or colour
• Because they are pregnant.

Question 23

What is the employment equality act?

Answer 23

Employment Equality Acts, 1998-2015
All employees must be treated equally in the workplace. There must be no discrimination.
• All employees who do the same work, must be paid the same wage, however, an employer can pay more to employees with better qualifications or that have been with the firm longer.
• The law states that employers cannot discriminate for any of the following reasons:
Gender
Family status
Race
Age

Question 24

What is the protection of young persons act 1996?

Answer 24

Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996
This act protects young workers by ensuring that work carried out during school years does not put their education at risk. Children under the age of 14 cannot be employed in regular employment.

Question 25

What is the WRC workplace relations committee?

Answer 25

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC)
The WRC was set up to help employees and employers to settle disputes that may arise between them, which they are unable to sort out themselves.

Question 26

What is conciliation?

Answer 26

Conciliation is the process of bringing two sides of a dispute together to discuss a problem to try to reach a solution that they will both accept.