Employment Law

Module title	Employment Law
Module code	LAW3026
Academic year	2019/0
Credits	30
Module staff	Dr Philippa Collins ()

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	12	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	65

Module description

This module aims to introduce you to the law as it relates to: the rights and duties of individual employees in relation to their employer, and their trade union; and the legal context of the role of trade unions at work. Broader contexts, such as political history of legislation and case law, economic and social factors will also be considered.

It is a pre-requisite to have a working knowledge of the law of contract, normally through having taken the Level One Law of Contract module, or equivalent. For this reason it is not a module suitable for students entirely new to Law, although it may be appropriate for those who are studying other degrees (such as Flexible Combined honours) where contract law has been, or is, a component.

Module aims - intentions of the module

To introduce undergraduates, with some experience of studying law, to the law as it relates to: the rights and duties of individual employees in relation to their employer, and their trade union; the legal context of the role of trade unions at work; and to place these within broader contexts, such as political history of legislation and case law, economic and social factors.

Students will be expected to access a range of learning/research materials. In addition to materials such as textbooks, journals and law reports, there are a great deal of online resources, such as those provided by government and law practice-generated material.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. understand the central role that the law has in this area, and the importance of these rights and duties within the context of the law as a whole
2. handle a variety of materials peculiar to this area of law from a variety of sources such as Codes of Practice and the Casemark system used in one of the series of law reports.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. demonstrate detailed/comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of legal concepts, values, principles, institutions and procedures, and the ability to explain the relationships among them, as well as their limits
4. demonstrate ability to integrate and assess information from primary and secondary legal sources using appropriate interpretative techniques
5. demonstrate ability to select, integrate and present coherently and reflectively, orally and in writing, relevant law and legal/theoretical arguments

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

6. demonstrate ability to interact effectively and proactively within a team/ learning group, to share information and ideas, and to manage conflict
7. keep abreast of developments in a fast-moving area of law and politics,
8. work in a team and to develop powers of argumentation and persuasion.
9. demonstrate ability to work independently and to manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities, exercises and assessments

Syllabus plan

It is envisaged that the syllabus will include the following topics in the following order although precise content and order may vary.

1. Introduction to employment law; judicial and administrative structure, sources and materials

2. The contract of employment

3. Termination of contract

4. Unfair dismissal

5. Discrimination law

6. Other employment rights

7. Collective bargaining and trade union recognition

8. Industrial conflict

9.Trade union law

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
55	245

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning and teaching activities	46	23 x 2 hour Lectures
Scheduled learning and teaching activities	9	6 x 1.5 hour Workshops
Guided independent study	120	Individual reading and lecture preparation
Guided independent study	35	Workshop preparation
Guided independent study	80	Assessment preparation
Guided independent study	10	Formative Assessment

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Practice essay	At the choice of each student	All indicated above	Comments on essay and individual discussion on collection

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
0	100	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Examination	100	3 hours	All as indicated above, directly or indirectly	Result and discussion on individual request

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
Examination	Examination (3 hours)	All as indicated above, directly or indirectly	September assessment period

Re-assessment notes

If the module is failed and cannot be condoned the student will:

i) If the exam was failed: resit the exam and be capped at the pass mark (40%)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Honeyball's Textbook on Employment Law (14th Edition) (Oxford: OUP)

Deakin and Morris: Labour Law (6th Edition) (Hart Publishing)

Smith and Wood: Industrial Law (12th Edition) (Oxford: OUP)

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Key words search

Employment Law

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	Law of Contract
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	L5
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	1/10/2001
Last revision date	30/09/2016