3. Legislation and Business

• Legislation impacting businesses


  • Consumer legislation
  • Employee legislation
• Consumer legislation


  Ensures quality of products, fit for purpose

  Will repair/replace/refund if faulty

  Safe delivery of goods
• Consumer legislation


  • Sale of Goods Act 1979, Trade Descriptions Act 1968, Consumer Rights Act 2015
• Employee legislation

  
  

  Recruitment, paying correct wages, protection from discrimination, ethical

  Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Businesses must comply with consumer and employee legislation
• Recruitment


  Ensuring recruitment is fair (e.g. all candidates to be considered regardless of gender/age)
• Pay


  Minimum wage, equal pay for same job regardless of gender
• Discrimination


  Employees treated fairly and equally regardless of protected characteristics (e.g. disability, ethnicity, sexuality)

  The Equality Act 2010
• Reasonable adjustments


  Employers must make adjustments to accommodate employees (e.g. wheelchair access, scheduling classes on ground floor)
• Health and safety


  Ensuring employees and customers are safe
• Legislation changes


  Can significantly impact businesses (e.g. changing processes, buying new machinery, changing products)
• Following the law


  Avoids negative impact on business reputation e.g:

  Fines

  Damaged reputation and untrustworthy

  Suppliers/employees not wanting to associate with business

  
  

  Positive impact:

  Positive reputation - more customers and higher sales

  Internal stakeholders feel fairly treated

  More people attracted to business - better candidates for job