ABSTRACT
In this chapter we deal with the implications for managing people of the legal system and the institutions which complement it. There has been a substantial increase over the last 30 years in a wide range of aspects of the impact of law on employment issues, from the scope covered to the detail involved to the numbers of times that the law has been invoked in cases before tribunals or courts. Managers frequently have to face situations which could have legal consequences; most of course do not result in any such drastic development, which is just as well if work is to have continuity and stability, but managers need to be aware of what might be involved in a situation or an action. And it cannot be overstated that the best way of avoiding any problem is for managers themselves to be aware of the principles of the law, if not the details.
