Employee Rights and Privileges

Substantive legislation covers this aspect of life and employees now have many more rights than was the case even a few years ago. Statute and case law is continually evolving and those with problems or difficulties at work often need to seek professional advice.

Those in employment have significant rights and protection against discrimination and abuse. These rights and privileges are given under a number of different statutes.

If you consider your employer is breach of your contract of employment, or does not provide you protection against discrimination, or if you feel you have been unfairly dismissed, we can help and advise.

Your rights and privileges include:

Protection from discrimination

Workers in the UK have statutory protection from discrimination on the grounds of sex, race and disability. If you consider you have suffered discrimination on any of these grounds, you could have a case in law.

Rights to paid holidays

Every worker is now entitled to 4.8 weeks' paid holiday each (note this is 4.8 of your "normal" weeks so, if you work part time, say, 10 hours per week, you are entitled to paid holiday of four times your normal 10 hour week). There are no exceptions to this rule and, if you feel you are not receiving this benefit in full, you will have a case against your employer. From 1 April 2009 the entitlement will increase to 5.6 weeks.

Rights to maternity leave

If you are female and have time off work to have a baby, you have the right to return to work, within a certain time period, and to resume your old job on the same terms and conditions as applied before your leave. Both parents of young children (i.e. fathers and mothers) up to the age of five have the right to (unpaid) leave of up to eight weeks per annum.

Rights to parental leave

Provided you are not in breach of your contract, you cannot be terminated without compensation if you have served at least one years continuous employment.

Employees whose jobs disappear due to downsizing, technological changes, or other factors are entitled to receive redundancy payments, the levels of which are partly determined by length of service.

Certain human rights

The Human Rights Act 1998, which came into effect in October 2000, confers rights on people as citizens. These rights extend to the place of work and will therefore protect the duty of employers to ensure such rights are enjoyed.

Rights guaranteed under the Act include the right to respect for family and private life, to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and freedom of expression.