Employment Law
| Module title | Employment Law |
|---|---|
| Module code | LAW2174C |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Mrs Camilla Gee (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 60 |
|---|
Module description
Employment Law is a dynamic and fast-moving area of the law, often at the forefront of social change. Knowledge of employment law is empowering for both individuals on the cusp of entering the workplace and for those planning to set up their own businesses. If you intend to train as a lawyer this is a fascinating area of practice incorporating non-contentious work advising on contracts, policies, grievances and redundancies as well as contentious work ranging from unfair dismissal to discrimination, equal pay and disputes over employment status.
In this module you will be introduced to contracts of employment and the issue of employment status as well as examining various statutory protections for employees and workers and considering the role of trade unions.
While you may benefit from having previously studied Legal Foundations LAW1023C this module is suitable for interdisciplinary pathways and no pre-requisites or co-requisites are required to choose this module.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module provides an introduction to the key elements of employment law within the English legal system. It will enable you to understand the legal regulation of working relationships and the unique rules around employment contracts, protection of employer’s confidential information, implied terms and termination of contracts. You will also consider the importance of establishing the employment relationship before examining some of the various statutory protections for employees and workers. The module is designed to give you both a practice orientated understanding of employment law, an ability to communicate complex legal concepts and an understanding of the broader political, socio-economic and historical context of this topic.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Identify, explain and critically analyse issues arising in the context of working relationships and apply relevant legal rules to those issues
- 2. Demonstrate understanding of and critically examine the purpose of key employment rights within their political, socio-economic and historical context.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Identify key elements of legal problems and select appropriate methods for investigating and evaluating them
- 4. Select and explain relevant information using legal and other suitable academic sources
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate ability to keep up-to-date regarding developments in a fast-moving area of law
- 6. Demonstrate ability to work independently and to manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities and assessments.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:
- An introduction to employment law including its judicial and administrative structure, sources and materials
- Employment status
- The contract of employment; implied and express terms
- Issues surrounding termination of contract and breach of contract
- Unfair dismissal law and its remedies
- Discrimination law
- Other key statutory employment rights
- Collective labour law/Trade Unions
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | 124 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 18 | 12 x 1.5-hour lectures |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 6 | 4 x 1.5-hour seminars |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 2 | 1 x 2-hour assessment workshop |
| Guided independent study | 62 | Individual reading, lecture and workshop preparation |
| Guided independent study | 62 | Formative and Summative Assessment Preparation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advice Centre leaflet | 750 words | 1, 4-6 | Tutor and Peer review |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coursework - Counsels opinion | 100 | 2250 words | 1-6 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coursework Counsel's opinion (2250 words) | Coursework Counsel's opinion (2250 words) | 1-6 | Referral / Deferral period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- I Smith, O Warnock, Employment Law (16th edn OUP 2023)
- D A Cabrelli, Employment Law in Context (4th edn OUP 2020)
- H Collins, K Ewing, A McColgan, Labour Law (2nd edn CUP 2019)
- R Russell Concentrate Questions and Answers Employment Law (2nd edn OUP 2022) – useful for assessment advice.
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
- Codes of Practice and other key employment law resources will be shared on the ELE page
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 03/12/2024 |
| Last revision date | 03/12/2024 |
