Legislation

 

 

 

In all areas of the activities of the business, but especially it seems within Human Resource Management, the business must ensure that it abides by every piece of legislation, regardless of the stakeholder group which the legislation protects (e.g. employees and customers).

 

The main pieces of legislation affecting the successful operations of the Human Resource Management department are:

 

1. The Employment Relations Bill, 1999 (stating that employees who have been in employment with the same business for a period of one year have the right not to be unfairly dismissed).

 

2. The Employment Rights Act, 1996 (covering unfair dismissal, redundancy and maternity).

 

3. The Public Interest Disclosure Act, 1998 (covering employees who disclose confidential information).

 

4. The Health & Safety at Work Act, 1974 (covering working conditions and the provision of safety equipment and hygiene).

 

5. The National Minimum Wage Act, 1999 (making it illegal for employers to pay less than £3.60 per hour to its full-time staff who are aged over 21). As of 2004 National Minimum Wage is £4.50 for 22 years and over; and £3.80 for 18-21 year olds.

 

6. The Equal Pay Act, 1970 (stating that pay and working conditions must be equal for employees of the opposite sex who are performing the same work).

 

7. The Sex Discrimination Act, 1975 (stating that it is illegal to discriminate against an employee, or an applicant for a job, on the grounds of their sex or their marital status).

8. The Race Relations Act, 1976 (stating that it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee, or an applicant for a job, on the grounds of their ethnic background).

 

9. The Disability Discrimination Act, 1995 (stating that it is illegal for a business with 20 or more employees to discriminate against an employee, or an applicant for a job, on the grounds of their disability).