Labour (or employment) law regulates working life. Taking a law-in-context approach, this module deals with the scope of labour law (e.g. are ‘gig economy’ drivers workers?), the protection it grants (e.g. against unfair dismissal) and its enforcement.
Module will run
Occurrence
Teaching period
A
Semester 1 2024-25
Module aims
This module provides an introduction to labour law. Rather than attempting to cover the whole field, it focuses on some key issues and puts them in their social, political and economic context. For instance, we might look at the ways in which the law responds to the rise of the 'gig economy'. Throughout the module, we will be thinking about the purposes of labour law and how it achieves them.
In broad terms, this module aims, as part of the overall LLB programme, to enable students to develop new and further critical perspectives on law, whilst progressively developing core academic and legal skills.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
Explain, apply, discuss and critically evaluate well-established legal concepts, principles, theories and perspectives as they arise in the context of labour law;
Discuss and critique the development and purpose of labour law and its interrelationship with society and other disciplines;
Develop individual opinions and arguments on legal issues and propositions arising in labour law, supported by appropriately critiqued academic evidence;
Apply and evaluate critically problem-solving strategies to develop and propose solutions to academic and practical legal problems;
Plan, implement and evaluate research methodologies and strategies, and locate relevant and reliable sources and authorities;
Communicate the outputs of the above in a variety of written and oral formats and contexts to specialist and non-specialist audiences;
Demonstrate understanding of norms of scholarly and professional legal practice;
Reflect on learning and feedback, and use this in identifying future learning interests and needs.
Module content
The topics covered in this module may vary from one year to the next depending on developments. Potential topics include:
Employment status
‘Non-standard’ work (e.g. part-time work or temporary agency work)
Dismissals
Wages
Working time
Transfers of undertakings
Industrial action
Enforcement
Indicative assessment
Task
% of module mark
Essay/coursework
100
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
Task
% of module mark
Essay/coursework
100
Module feedback
During seminars, students will receive feedback from tutors and peers on developing their understanding and skills. There will be an opportunity for feedback on a 500-word formative essay plan. Students will receive individual feedback on their summative submission.
Indicative reading
Adams Z and others, Deakin and Morris' Labour Law (7th edn, Hart 2021)
Collins H, Ewing K and McColgan A, Labour Law (2nd edn, OUP 2019)
Davidov G, A Purposive Approach to Labour Law (OUP 2016)
Honeyball S, Great Debates in Employment Law (2nd edn, Hart 2015)
Prassl J, Humans as a Service: The Promise and Perils of Work in the Gig Economy (OUP 2018)