This one is not for light bedtime reading – unless you are being kept awake by employment problems.
Its aim is to help line managers who are having to spend ever more time dealing with the everyday problems of people management, including legal issues, than ever before – a daunting task for even the most experienced professional.
The book is divided into five key areas: introductory topics include ‘things everyone should know’ and an interesting section on employment status; getting a job and starting work; rights at work, losing or giving up your job and taking things further. All the issues you would expect are here: contracts of employment, discrimination, dismissal, redundancy and so on, with some relatively new ‘hot’ topics such as privacy and whistle-blowing.
Personally, I would have appreciated a proper index in addition to the list of key questions for quick reference purposes. Of course, with a publication like this, one of the problems is that it can go rapidly out of date. However, as a basic starter reference this book is ideal. I particularly liked some of the editorial features in the book, such as ‘Key Questions’, the ‘What if’ scenarios, ‘tactics and tips’ and useful contact details to enable you to follow things up.
I enjoyed browsing through this book: for the price it is excellent value. It is definitely one that will find its way on to my ‘essential management bookshelf’.
The Penguin Guide to Employment Rights |
Lyn Stansfield is director of studies of the part-time executive MBA programme at Bradford University School of Management, where she teaches HRM. She is currently reading Understanding Human Resource Development: A Research-based Approach edited by Jim McGoldrick, Jim Stewart and Sandra Watson.
