Wrongful Dismissal and Summary Dismissal

Given the culture these days of “No Win - No Fee” solicitors, the majority of employers have legal expenses cover that allows them to be guided through all employment issues by professionals who have the expertise in employment law. Owners/managers are advised to use this service for even the smallest employment issue as not following due process can prove costly for employers. In addition, these experts and the advice they give are non-biased and in accordance with current employment legislation.

Belton, R. (2004). Employment discrimination law: cases and materials on equality in the workplace. Thomson/West

Identify sources and types of information and advice available in relation to employment responsibilities and rights.

21 John Hsu, ‘Work Choices Legislation Upheld by high Court’ (2006) Batallion Legal 1, 1-2 < http://www.batallion.com.au/Web-workchoices.pdf> at 9 April 2007.

However, the ruling in this case and others like it prove that employers can, in fact, be bound by articles written in an employee handbook when disciplining or discharging an employee. An abysmally written handbook can greatly jeopardize an employer’s right to terminate at will. Trends show that courts are increasingly acknowledging enforceable promises in the past employment practices of firms, in employer handbooks and in oral commitments. In addition to including an at-will disclaimer in employee handbooks, employers should also require employees to sign an acknowledgment confirming that they understand and agree to employment-at-will and that at-will employment can at any time be modified by a written agreement. Personnel manuals should explicitly state that the employer reserves the right to terminate employment at will. All written policies should also be free of any language that could be considered as a guarantee of job security. To be sure that these common pitfalls are avoided employers must retain the service of a labor attorney to draft and air-tight employee manual and acknowledgment

Welcome and Introduction How to use this Workbook 1 Statutory Rights and Responsibilities 1.1 Contracts of Employment 1.2 Anti-Discrimination 1.3 Age Discrimination 1.4 Disability Discrimination 1.5 Working Hours, Rest Breaks and Holiday Entitlements 1.6 Maternity/Paternity, Parental and Adoption Leave 1.7 Absence and Sickness 1.8 Data Protection and Access to Personal Information 1.9 Health and Safety Procedures and Documents in your Organisation 2.1 Contracts of Employment 2.2 Anti- Discrimination 2.3 Working Hours and Holiday Entitlement 2.4 Sickness Absence and Sick Pay 2.5 Data Protection 2.6 Health and Safety Sources of Information and Advice 3.1 Internal Sources 3.2 External Sources About your Occupation and

In 1980, a precedent was set in a Michigan court case involving a man named Charles Toussaint who was suing his employer, BlueCross Blue Shield, for wrongful termination based on the guidelines set in the employee manual (Alfred and Bertsche 33). The manual stated that employees would only be terminated for just cause, and the court decided that Blue Cross had violated the agreements in the employee manual (34). The court also ruled that even with Blue Cross’s efforts to provide a document that “issued non-binding guidelines” the employee manual was a contract and Toussiant was wrongfully terminated (34). After the precedent set by this case many employers and employees for that matter were reviewing their employee manuals for the type of

In dealing with a person’s livelihood, and often, sense of self, it is of no surprise that ethical issues regarding employment practices are of great concern. The issues of employment at will and due process contracts in the workplace are among the most widely contentious in the realm of employment. Employment at will is the doctrine that employment may be ended, by either party, for good, bad or no cause at all.1 Due process, on the other hand, is the employment practice in which a person may appeal a decision as a means of receiving an explanation and the opportunity to argue against it.2 Employment at will is the standard in the majority of private corporations today and is argued for relentlessly by freedom of contract enthusiasts,

Prepare a one page report on a case investigated by one of the three labour legislative acts/codes. Include in your report a summary of the case, and create three questions that you have about this case.

1.4 Identify sources and types of information and advice available in relation to employment responsibilities and rights

When we are dealing with the employment relationship between employers and employees, ethical issues are most likely to emerge. Especially, if a manager fires a worker without a proper reason, critics will follow this employer’s behavior. In Patricia Werhane’s paper, “Employment at Will and Due Process”, discusses two doctrines which are Employment at Will (EAW) and Due Process. It also addresses some justifications and objections for EAW, and shows Werhane’s supportive view to Due Process. In contrast, EAW is defended by Richard Epstein in his article “In Defense of the Contract at Will”. In my paper, I will attempt to develop my argument in favor of Employment at Will that could improve flexibility and efficiency of

The statutory claim for unfair dismissal recognises that the common law cannot give adequate protection to the employees through the contract of employment, in that wrongful dismissal claim depends upon a breach of contract of the employment, usually in the form of inadequate notice being given by the employer. Many dismissals can be considered unfair that do not amount to the breach of the contract, for the wrongful dismissal claims look not to intention, motive, or the effect on an employee of a termination of the relationship nor to the procedural protections, but merely to the form of in which that relationship has been brought to the end. This paper will compare and contrast the different area between wrongful dismissal and unfair dismissal.

In the UK most employment law is considered as a civil or private law and is enforced as a result of one party suing another. The primary outcomes sought is usually that of compensation. Cases brought before the court are generally made by a former or existing employee or a failed job applicant and they use the courts system to allege that their employer has in some way caused a detriment and has done this in contravention on the law.

The general principles of contract law rule the structure of the contract of employment. A contract of employment is a contract by which a person, the worker, takes on for a limited or undefined period of time to do work for payment according to the instructions and under the direction or control of another person, the employer. Inside the structure of a contract of employment, a person carries out the service of work, gets payment and the work is carried out according to the direction and supervision of the employer. "The terms of the contract may be either in writing or given orally, but both are equally binding and enforceable. When a person is hired to be an employee, the person enters into a contract of service, which is an employer/employee relationship" (Determining the Employer/Employee Relationship - IPG-069, 2012).

Lillard, Monique C., Fifty Jurisdictions in Search of a Standard: The Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing in the Employment Context, 57 Mo. L. Rev. (1992)