Human Rights Day: Employment Rights

by XPRESS, 10 December 2019

December 10 celebrates Human Rights Day. To celebrate we’ve outlined some of the employment rights. Make sure you know your rights!

Article 23 and 24 of the human rights declares individuals’ rights regarding employment. Article 23 is split into four parts:

Part one states that everyone should have a free choice of employment as well as ‘just and favourable conditions of work’ and security from joblessness. This means that everyone is entitled to choose when or where they work.

Part two declares that discrimination in pay is not permitted. This means any two people doing the same job, at the same quality should earn the same salary. Salary should not be influenced by gender, religious belief, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other protected class. This right is supported by the Equality Act 2010.

Part three asserts that You employer must also provide you with a salary that permits you and your family to live a fair quality of life. This is reinforced by minimum wage laws in the UK. This can also be accompanied by social support.

The last part states that everyone has the right to join a trade union so as to protect and defend employees’ interests.

Article 24 states that individuals should have the right to rest and personal time. This means that working hours should be a reasonable length, to allow for adequate leisure time. Employees should also be allowed to take regular holidays. The UK law states that all employees be given (at a minimum) 5.6 weeks holidays.

Find the full Decleration of Human Rights here.

Picture Credit: United Nations

Emma Richardson