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Hiring young people
There are certain laws that protect the employment rights of young workers. Such laws are around health and safety, what jobs young workers can do, when they can work and how many hours they can work. If you want to employ young people — in some cases, this can include people up to the age of 25 — it is important to be aware of your legal responsibilities.
Minimum Wage
The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 created a minimum wage across the UK.
The hourly rate for the minimum wage depends on your age and whether you’re an apprentice and it changes every 1 April.
Discrimination when hiring
Fair treatment is not just a moral and legal obligation but makes good business sense. Employers who treat employees fairly will be best placed to recruit and retain staff in an increasingly diverse and competitive labour market.
Fall Back Scheme – Parental leave
The Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 introduced a right to Parental Leave for parents of any child under the age of 18.
Redundancy pay
The statutory redundancy payment scheme aims to ensure that people who are dismissed through no fault of their own receive compensation. Employees who meet certain requirements are statutorily entitled to a lump sum from their employer.
Contracts of employment
A contract of employment is a legal agreement between an employer and an employee which sets out their employment rights, responsibilities and duties. The employment contract is made as soon as a job offer is accepted.
Types of contracts
In addition to contracts of employment, a number of other types of contracts exist.
Industrial action
This section includes information on official industrial action; unofficial industrial action; repudiation of industrial action; and lawful industrial action.
Pay in Lieu of Notice (PILON)
A payment in lieu of notice is made in circumstances where an employee is not required to work their notice period but is paid a sum of money instead.
Qualifying periods
Most people are entitled to the rights outlined below. However, in many cases, qualifying conditions must be fulfilled before a right may be claimed. Some rights apply to all employees as soon as they start work; others depend on factors such as length of service, continuity of employment and activities in addition to the job, for example, union work.