Employment Protection Consolidation Act
The Employment Protection Consolidation Act of 1978 was the first major piece of legislation to address the individual rights of workers. It preceded the Employment Rights Act of 1996 and was a central part of labor law in the United Kingdom.
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History
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The Employment Protection Consolidation Act provided laws governing the treatment of employees by employers. Until the mid-20th century, judgments pertaining to disputes between employees and employers were based mainly on common law. The Contracts of Employment Act of 1963 and the Redundancy Payments Act of 1965 offered limited protection for workers in the United Kingdom. Enacted in 1978, the Employment Protection Consolidation Act incorporated and expanded upon former legislation, providing the first comprehensive set of laws pertaining to the treatment of workers.
Significance
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The Employment Protection Consolidation Act addressed many aspects of the employee-employer relationship. These included requirements for written particulars of employment, itemized pay statements, suspension from work for medical reasons, health and safety provisions, union membership and participation, time off from work, maternity leave, termination of employment and unfair dismissal.
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Function
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The act also offered protection for workers who were laid off and employees effected by an employer's insolvency. It provided for tribunals and conciliation officers to resolve disputes between workers and their employers.
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References
- Eurofound: EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION (CONSOLIDATION) ACT 1978 (EPCA 1978)
- Swarb.co.uk: Employment Protection Consolidation Act
- The UK Statute Law Database
- Office of Public Sector Information: Revised Statute from The UK Statute Law Database
- Serving History: Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978
- Personneltoday: Employment law 1988 - 2008
Resources
- Photo Credit business woman image by UBE from Fotolia.com Legal Law Justice image by Stacey Alexander from Fotolia.com
