An employee is defined as an individual who has entered into or who works under a Contract of Employment. Arising from this status as an employee, a large number of statutory rights have developed. These are:
- Continuity of employment on the transfer of an undertaking
- Equality for fixed term employees
- Guarantee payments
- Itemised pay statements
- Maternity, adoption and paternity rights
- Minimum periods of notice
- Not to suffer unlawful deductions from wages
- Parental rights
- Medical suspension payments
- Redundancy rights
- Flexible working
- Statutory sick pay
- Time off during working hours
- Unfair dismissal protection
- Written statement of the main terms and conditions of employment
- Written statement of the reasons for dismissal
A worker is defined as either an employee working under a Contract for Employment or someone who works under a contract other than a Contract of Employment and is offering his personal service in return for remuneration to the employer who is not his/her client or customer.
These contracts are commonly called Contracts for Services and such workers are often referred to as non-employee workers.
In addition to the statutory rights which apply to employees all workers have a set of main worker statutory rights for which there are no qualifying periods of service necessary before the worker benefits from the rights. These rights are:
- Breaks and rest periods
- Equal pay
- Equality for part-time workers
- Health & safety rights
- National Minimum Wage requirements
- The right not to be discriminated against on the grounds of:
- Age
- Disability
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex or sexual orientation
- Paid annual leave
- The right not to suffer detriment for inadmissible reasons
- The right to be accompanied at discipline and grievance hearings
- The right to take part in Trade Union activities
- Public interest disclosure (whistle blowing) protection