Business Law and Ethics: UK Employment Law and Corporate Social Responsibility

Business Law and
ethics

Introduction
Business law includes all of the legislations which regulates the formation of any business entity
in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the commercial activities took place in the business
organization. It forms the rules and regulations on the basis of which a particular company needs
to be operated. It also covers the licensing policies which is required in trading of goods and
services in the other countries or cities. Employment laws on the other hand provides certain
obligations and rights to the employer as well as the employee. Both are required to fulfill their
duties on their parts. In this scenario the employer owes certain obligations towards the
employees working in their organization and the same is needed from the employee by comply
with their responsibilities they holds towards their employer. Like, the employer must take
reasonable care of the rights of the workers and the employees must work according to the
demand of the business enterprise besides that no unnecessary demands or mandates areto be
followed. The employee can access the courts for the same. This essay will cover the structure
of Employment Law in the UK. Further the essay will discuss that to what extent the business
organizations undertake the accountability for Corporate Social Responsibility.
Main Body
Discuss the broad structure of UK Employment Law and indicate who you think
UK Employment Law favors- either employers or employees.
The employment law covers the following aspects, that is, the working hours of the employees,
maternity and paternity leaves, equal pay, minimum wages to be provided to the workers,
redundancy, contract of employment, unfair dismissal of the employees, discrimination on the
basis of caste, race, sex, religion, etc., sexual and mental harassment , etc. It further protects the
rights of the employers and the employees working under them. The purpose of the formulation
of this law is that it governs the relationship between the employers and the employees so as to
provide protection to the business, employees and the employers. It also helps in preventing
discrimination inside the business corporations by encouraging the rule of equality among each
and every employee. The employment laws safeguards the business units by creating certain
guidelines which has to be included in the employment contract. Before joining any organization
the employees are required to enter into a contract which explains the terms and conditions of

working in that particular company. For example- number of holidays, rules, notice period,
dismissal procedure, salary structure, etc. The contract ensures safety in terms of both employer
and the employee. That in case any conflict arise among both the parties, there will be point of
clarity to settle the said dispute. There are various laws made under the employment law of the
UK. They are, the Employment Relations Act 1999, this law states the legal rights of the trade
union structures in order to get recognition and the right of the employees to take part in the
hearings. The Employment Rights Act 1996 covers all the rights of the employees which they are
entitled to enforce in the court whenever required. Like, unfair dismissal, unlawful treatment,
inequality in terms of salary payment, redundancy,etc. The Maternity and Parental Leave etc.
Regulations 1999 covers the rights of the new parents in order to take leave to handle the day to
day chores of the new born baby. The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 talks about the rights
of the employees as well as the daily wage workers to get paid by the minimum wages. The
employees who crossed the age of 23 are entitled to get the National Living wage. The Equality
Act 2010, restricts the employer and the other employees not to discriminate any of the fellow
employee on the basis of the set nine protected characteristics, such as gender, race, religion,
disability, sexual orientation, etc. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which establish a safe
and healthy working environment to the employees. The Part Time Workers Regulations 2000,
this particular act settles the state of the part time workers including the freelancers, agency
workers that they are entitled to receive the fair treatment in terms of equality on the same
footing of the full time employees.
Generally the main aim of the employment law is to bring a transparency in the functioning of
the business corporations. Both the employer and the employee need to maintain the fairness in
carrying on the different business relations and functions. For example- the employees are need
to maintain the secrecy of the organization by not providing any source of information to any
other business unit. The same thing is expected from the side of the employer in order to
maintain a relationship based on mutual trust by not providing the personal details of their
employees to any outsider. The employment law do not favor either of the parties. It is solely
created to regulate the various business relations and the activities takes place in the country. It
ensures the stability in the relationships of the employer and the employees. It also provides
with certain regulations upon which the corporation is required to carry their administrative
operations and business functions. It also provides full safety measures to the employees and the