Lesson 1 Flashcards
(22 cards)
What do employers have a legal right to provide?
a contract of employment
What does a contract of employment include?
- location of place of work
- salary/renumeration
- start date
- hours of work
- pension contributions and holiday pay
- sickness and death in service
- probationary period and terms
What are full-time contracts offered for?
- permanent positions (although can be temporary)
- staff working over 35 hours per week
What do full-time contracts provide?
- stability for the employer and employee
- redundancy pay for the employee, which is accrued for each year of service (depending on contractual terms).
What are the advantages of working full-time?
- The employee is able to budget due to a regular, predictable income and proof of this income for mortgage applications/loans, etc.
- The employee has fixed working patterns.
- The employee gains full-time employment rights after a probationary period has been completed.
- If an employee is aged over 22 and earns over £10,000 a year, the employer must enrol them in a pension scheme.
- Some employers offer additional benefits, such as death in service.
What are the disadvantages of working full-time?
- Lack of flexibility for employee (and employer, eg when there are quiet times with low workload).
- Less time available outside work can cause difficulty in striking a healthy work–life balance.
- Work-related stress can be more common.
- Career stagnation can occur.
- Repetition of duties and roles.
Give 3 points about a part-time worker?
- May be a permanent or temporary position.
- Staff usually work less than 35 hours per week.
- The number of hours scheduled to work per week should be clearly visible in the contract, but employees may have the option to work overtime, if and when desired.
What is a ‘zero hour’ contract?
the employer is not obliged to offer a minimum number of working hours to the employee.
What are the advantages of working part-time?
- A more flexible schedule, allowing individuals to fit their work around other commitments, and the opportunity for people to try out new roles without having to give up large amounts of time.
- Flexibility about when to work, which may lead to an improved work–life balance.
- An income source that will accommodate other responsibilities (e.g. studying or other goals, caring responsibilities, etc).
What are the disadvantages of working part-time?
Lower net income, prorated to hours worked.
Benefits are pro-rata to hours worked, meaning reduced holiday pay and pension contributions.
What is seasonal work?
temporary employment that recurs around the same time every year.
What are the advantages of seasonal work?
- Provides short-term income and valuable experience which may help to build a CV and open up opportunities.
- Employers have access to staff when they need them.
What are the disadvantages of seasonal work?
- Short-term and unpredictable work.
- No income out of season.
- Employers may find sourcing available staff when required challenging due to the nature of the contract.
What are agency workers?
are employed by recruitment agencies, which are often used by businesses who need to find short-term employees quickly.
What are the employer responsibilities?
- Pay employees at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW), as a salary (which could be pro rata, based on hours worked) or as an hourly wage.
- Provide the statutory minimum level of paid holiday.
- Provide a payslip showing all deductions, such as tax.
- Be responsible for employee tax deductions by registering with His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and paying tax andNational Insurance Contributions (NICs).
- Provide Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) (conditions apply).
- Pay maternity, paternity and adoption pay, and leave.
- Provide a written statement of employment orcontract.
- Make sure employees do not work longer than the maximum time allowed.
- Allow the statutory minimum length of rest breaks, depending on age and working environment.
- Providing a safe and secure working environment.
- Consider employees’ flexible working requests.
- Avoid discriminationin the workplace.
- Makereasonable adjustmentsto ensure the workplace is accessible for all, including employees with disabilities.
What do many industries in the sector have?
active trade unions
What do trade unions elect?
representatives (also known as stewards) from volunteers among their members.
What is the role of a representative?
to liaise between employers and employees if workplace challenges arise. This includes:
- answering queries from union members
- representing members in meetings, grievance or disciplinary meetings
- advocating for members if business decisions will affect them.
What is self-employment?
those who choose not to work for a company or employer
How are you considered self-employed?
if:
- you run your business for yourself and take responsibility for its success or failure
- you have more than one client
- you can decide how, where and when you do your work
- you can hire other people at your own expense to help you or to do the work for you (subcontract)
- you are able to provide the main items of equipment to do your work
- you sell goods or services to make a profit.
What are the pros of self-employment?
- Flexibility and control over your business and the decisions made.
- Ownership of all profits (once tax and NICs have been paid).
What are the cons of self-employment?
- Liability for any losses that arise from your work.
- Responsibility for adhering to health and safety policies and compliance.
- No statutory entitlements to sick pay, maternity/paternity pay or other benefits. You must self-fund your own pension.
