Page 122 - Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies

Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies Section 2 People in business

too hot or too cold. These laws also require the worker not to do anything that
might cause harm or injury to their fellow workers.
EXPLORE!
Workers who ignore health and safety rules and procedures and cause injury to
Use the internet, newspapers, themselves or others could be dismissed for misconduct.
libraries and any other relevant Health and safety in the workplace increases business costs but if it
sources to find out about the reduces accidents then fewer days will be lost due to worker injury. Th is

different employment laws in
your country. will help to keep output at high levels and the employer will not have to
Discuss with the rest of the pay workers health bills or compensation for any injuries they receive
class how these laws protect while at work.
workers and the advantages and
disadvantages to businesses in Legal minimum wage
your country.
Some countries have introduced minimum wage laws to preventing employers
from exploiting workers by paying very low wages. Minimum wage laws state that a
worker cannot be paid less than a certain rate per hour.

Minimum wage laws often increase business costs. However, if workers receive
a fair wage then this could motivate them to work harder and increase their
productivity.

TEST YOURSELF
1 State two features of an employment contract.
2 Identify two types of discrimination in the workplace

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CASE STUDY Unfair dismissal

Dismissal for Rastafarian dreadlocks in the workplace

declared unfairly discriminatory

November 2012 No evidence was led to support the suggestion
that the dreadlocked officials were less disci-
The Labour Appeal Court has held that fi ve plined than their colleagues. On the contrary
male prison employees at Pollsmoor Prison, they were regarded as exemplary employees.
who had been dismissed after refusing to cut Therefore the employees had been unfairly
their dreadlocks, had been unfairly dismissed. dismissed and the dismissals were automatically
The prison dress code only prohibited male
offi cers from adopting the hairstyle while female unfair because the employer unfairly discrimin-

prison offi cials were free to do so. ated against them.

Source: Adapted from www.nortonrosefulbright.com/knowledge/publications/72309/dismissal-for-
rastafarian-dreadlocks-in-the-workplace-declared-unfairly-discriminatory

TASK
a What is meant by ‘unfair dismissal’?
b Identify two types of discrimination that the prison workers were subject to by their employer.
c Do you think that workers should be protected from discrimination in the workplace? Justify your answer.