ABSTRACT
Legal rules represent the power of the state, acting through the institutions that sustain society. The growth of employment law as a significant topic in human resource management reflects the way that regulation has entered into most aspects of the employment relationship. Employment laws underpin many aspects of HR policies. The way the employment relationship is managed is at the heart of the employment contract between employer and employee. Employment law plays an important role in protecting the legitimate interests of individuals and of organizations, in ensuring fairness in treatment, protecting individuals and their representatives from harm as a consequence of their work, stipulating the responsibilities of employers and of employees and embodying social values. Legislation is devised in a particular historical context to meet the challenges of the time. It must, therefore, always be subject to review and there will always be new interpretations made by courts and tribunals. In this chapter, the institutional framework of regulation in the UK is set out, including the role of the relevant European institutions, and there is some exploration of the concept of an international convergence in laws and of the complexities involved.
