What is Employment Law?

Employment is a formal arrangement between an employer and an employee. In this agreement, the employee offers their skills and experience to complete specific duties for the employer’s organisation. In return, the employer compensates the employee with a wage or salary. 

Employment can also include benefits like health insurance or paid time off. This agreement may be outlined in a written contract but can also be based on a clear understanding between the two parties. There are various employment types, including full-time (typically a significant number of hours per week), part-time (fewer hours per week), temporary (for a predetermined period), or permanent (ongoing with no set end date).

What is Employment Law?

Employment law is a set of rules that govern how employers and employees interact at work, covering pay, hours, safety, and fair treatment. It ensures everyone follows the rules and resolves disputes fairly. Moreover, there are individuals who specialise in working with these laws and regulations. They are called Employment Lawyers.

What are the Roles of Business Employment Lawyers?

There are many vital roles of a business employment lawyer. They help different types of businesses and their employees. Moreover, there are many employment issues where business employment lawyers help them fight their legal cases. Furthermore, an employment law consultant consults businesses, employees, and employers. However, here are some other roles of a business employment lawyer:

• Representing Employers: Employment law experts help companies understand the latest laws and ensure they’re doing things the right way. They advise on drafting compliant contracts, handbooks, and policies. They also represent employers in disputes with current or former employees. Moreover, they defend against lawsuits related to wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and wage and hour violations.
• Protecting Your Business: Employment lawyers are proactive partners in ensuring a healthy work environment. They guide businesses on best practices for hiring, firing, performance management, and employee discipline. This helps minimise legal risks and costly lawsuits.
• Employee Representation: While some business employment lawyers focus solely on representing employers, some may also represent employees in specific situations. This could involve negotiating severance agreements or handling discrimination complaints.

What are the Qualifications needed in Employment Law?

In order to practice employment law in the UK, individuals typically need to obtain certain qualifications. These qualifications may vary depending on the specific role and level of expertise required. 

Here are some common qualifications looking for those pursuing a career in employment law:

• LLB (Bachelor of Laws): A foundational degree in law, providing a comprehensive understanding of legal principles and concepts, including employment law.
• LPC (Legal Practice Course): Following the LLB, the LPC is a vocational course focused on developing practical legal skills essential for aspiring solicitors.
• BPTC (Bar Professional Training Course): To become an aspiring barrister specialising in employment law, the BPTC is the vocational training required after completing the LLB.
• Employment Law Qualifications: Specialised qualifications or certifications in employment law are necessary to pursue a career in this field. Professional bodies like the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) or the Law Society can enhance expertise and credibility in the field.

Online Courses

Online courses are a convenient and flexible way to convert your current degree into one as an employment lawyer. Moreover, having certification in these courses can greatly help with your resume.

In fact, Wise Campus offers many easy-to-learn and effective diploma courses in employment law! You can enrol with us and start your career easily.

Here are some topics you might learn in employment law courses:

• Employment Contracts
• Discrimination Law
• Health and Safety Regulations
• Termination and Redundancy
• Equal Opportunities
• Workplace Harassment and Bullying
• Family and Maternity Rights
• Employment Tribunals and Dispute Resolution
• Data Protection and Privacy Laws
• Employee Rights and Responsibilities

What Skills Are Required to be an Employment Lawyer?

Employment lawyers need to know a lot about the law and have the skills to handle issues between employers and employees well. Here’s what they need:

• Legal expertise: Employment lawyers must understand the rules about work, like what’s fair and legal for both employers and employees.
• Analytical skills: They need to be good at figuring out complicated legal problems and using the rules to solve them. As a result, analytical skills are mandatory to succeed in this field.
• Communication skills:  It’s important for them to explain legal stuff in a way everyone can understand, both in writing and when speaking.
• Negotiation skills: They should be skilled at helping people settle disagreements without going to court. So, their negotiation skills must be good.
• Problem-solving ability:  Employment lawyers often face tricky issues and need to find smart solutions to fix them. So, they must have the ability to solve problems.
• Empathy and interpersonal skills:  They must understand and care about how people feel, especially when they’re dealing with problems at work.
• Commercial awareness: It’s helpful for them to know a lot about how companies operate and what they need to succeed.
• Ethical conduct: They must always do what’s fair and follow the rules themselves. The decision must always be neutral to resolve any conflict.
• Continual learning: Since the laws change a lot, employment lawyers should keep studying and learning to be the best at their jobs.

Employment Law Jobs and Expected Salary in the UK

In the field of employment law, different professionals have important jobs to make sure things are fair and legal at work. They work at things like helping employers follow the rules and supporting employees when there are problems. Let’s look at the different jobs in employment law that help both employers and employees do the right things:

• Employment Lawyers: £40,000 – £100,000+
• Human Resources (HR) Professionals: £25,000 – £70,000+
• Labour Union Representatives: £30,000 – £60,000+
• Legal Consultants and Advisors: £40,000 – £80,000+
• Mediators and Arbitrators: £30,000 – £60,000+
• Employment Tribunal Clerks and Judges: £50,000 – £100,000+
• Compliance Officers: £25,000 – £60,000+
• Legal Researchers and Academics: £30,000 – £60,000+ (Varies based on experience and institution.)