Search all content on GOV.UK

Employment status (worker, employee, self-employed, director or contractor) affects employment rights and employer responsibilities in the workplace

• Overview

  In employment law a person’s employment status helps determine: their…

• Worker

  A person is generally classed as a ‘worker’ if: they have a contract or…

• Employee

  An employee is someone who works under an employment contract. A person…

• Employee shareholders

  An employee shareholder is someone who works under an employment contract…

• Self-employed and contractor

  A person is self-employed if they run their business for themselves and…

• Director

  Company directors run limited companies on behalf of shareholders.…

• Office holder

  A person who’s been appointed to a position by a company or organisation…

• Legal decisions on employment status

  A court or employment tribunal (known as an industrial tribunal in…

When a business changes owner, employees could be protected under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations (TUPE) - types of transfers, your rights, contracts, redundancy, where to get help

• Overview

  When a business changes owner, its employees may be protected under the…

• Consulting and informing

  Before a transfer of ownership happens, employers must tell the trade…

• Transfers of employment contracts

  Under TUPE, the new employer takes over employees’ employment contracts,…

• Redundancy

  The new employer cannot make employees redundant just because they were…

• Information about employees during transfers

  An employer must provide the new employer with information about…

• Insolvent businesses

  If the employer is insolvent and the business is being transferred or…

• Employees working abroad

  Employees of a UK business who are based outside the UK could still be…

• Help and advice

  Both employers and employees can get confidential help and advice on…

How to dismiss staff fairly, working within dismissal rules and dealing with dismissals relating to whistleblowing

• Overview

  Dismissal is when you end an employee’s contract. When dismissing staff,…

• Fair dismissals

  You must have a valid reason for dismissing an employee. Valid reasons…

• Unfair dismissals

  Even if you think you’ve dismissed someone fairly, they could still claim…

• Eligibility to claim unfair dismissal

  Employees can only claim unfair dismissal if they’ve worked for a…

• Dismissals for conduct or performance reasons

  You can dismiss an employee if: they’re incapable of doing their job to…

• Dismissals due to illness

  Sometimes an employee may have to stop working because of long-term ill…

• How to dismiss someone

  During the dismissal procedure, make sure you act fairly and reasonably.…

Dismissal is when your employer ends your employment - reasons you can be dismissed, unfair and constructive dismissal and what to do if you're dismissed

Rules employers must follow when making staff redundant - consultations, notice periods, compulsory and non-compulsory redundancy and redundancy pay

Joining a union and getting recognition for collective bargaining and agreements - legal rules about membership, union reps and your rights

Find out what steps you need to take before you calculate how much you can claim for furloughed and flexibly furloughed employees.

• Updated: 29 October 2021

Being made redundant - rights, statutory payments you're entitled to, notice periods and consultation, finding a job.

Strikes and industrial action - rights and responsibilities for employers, when unions can take action and the effect on employees' pay and working records

Workers' rights to rest breaks at work - length of breaks, how your age affects rest breaks, exceptions to the rules for shift workers, young people, and drivers.