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Which types of worker protections are covered by labour law?
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Labour law
Diorite stela inscribed with the Code of Hammurabi, 18th century bce.
Labour law functions primarily to protect the worker as the weaker party in an employment relationship. Its scope covers several broad areas designed to ensure fair treatment, safety, and economic security:1
- Employment and Individual Relations: This includes regulations regarding the formation and termination of employment, dismissal procedures, compensation, and protections against forced labour.23
- Wages and Remuneration: Laws establish frameworks for minimum wages and ensure equal pay and equal employment opportunities.43
- Conditions of Work: This covers working hours, rest periods, holidays, and the regulation of child labour.4
- Health, Safety, and Welfare: Regulations address occupational health and accident prevention, covering risks like dangerous machinery, hazardous substances, and noise, while also providing for welfare facilities.5
- Social Security: This includes provisions for social security and disability insurance.1
- Industrial Relations: Labour law regulates the rights and obligations of trade unions and the collective bargaining process between organized interest groups.61
These protections have evolved from early legislation focused on manual workers to a broader framework that increasingly includes office, public, and agricultural employees.1