Rights during Employment

Employee rights have grown in recent years, and will continue to do so. Basic rights include:-

• the right not to be unfairly dismissed
• the right not to suffer unlawful deductions from wages
• the right to paid annual leave
• the right to maternity leave and maternity pay
• the right to sick pay (even if only Statutory Sick Pay)
• the right not to suffer unlawful discrimination
  

and many more

Many of these rights can be covered by properly drafted contracts of employment and/or policies.

Defining and understanding the employee's rights and having a procedure in place for dealing with any problems is vital to the successful management of the workforce. Failing to treat an employee fairly can involve time consuming and expensive Tribunal claims, and deflects the employer from the ability to run the business effectively.

Establishing Employment Rights

This will involve planning ahead, a commitment to proper procedures, and an investment of time. The benefits are:

• Freedom for the employer - investing in timely employment law advice will enable the employer to do what he/she does best - run the business
• A more productive and stable workforce - Staff will feel more secure in working for an employer that understands and appreciates employee rights, and is prepared to deal with employees accordingly. This isn't just a matter of law; it is a matter of sensible and effective management.

An employer ignores employee rights at his or her peril. Time invested in ensuring that there is an understanding of the rights and proper policies and contracts in place so that everybody knows where they stand, is time well spent, and will save both time and money (not to mention hassle, grief and stress) in the long run.