Part VIIMiscellaneous and general

Interpretation

295Meaning of “employee” and related expressions

1

In this Act—

  • “contract of employment” means a contract of service or of apprenticeship,

  • “employee” means an individual who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, worked under) a contract of employment, and

  • “employer”, in relation to an employee, means the person by whom the employee is (or, where the employment has ceased, was) employed.

2

Subsection (1) has effect subject to section 235 and other provisions conferring a wider meaning on “contract of employment” or related expressions.

296Meaning of “worker” and related expressions

1

In this Act “worker” means an individual who works, or normally works or seeks to work—

a

under a contract of employment, or

b

under any other contract whereby he undertakes to do or perform personally any work or services for another party to the contract who is not a professional client of his, or

c

in employment under or for the purposes of a government department (otherwise than as a member of the naval, military or air forces of the Crown) in so far as such employment does not fall within paragraph (a) or (b) above.

2

In this Act “employer”, in relation to a worker, means a person for whom one or more workers work, or have worked or normally work or seek to work.

297Associated employers

For the purposes of this Act any two employers shall be treated as associated if—

a

one is a company of which the other (directly or indirectly) has control, or

b

both are companies of which a third person (directly or indirectly) has control;

and “associated employer” shall be construed accordingly.

298Minor definitions: general

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

  • “act” and “action” each includes omission, and references to doing an act or taking action shall be construed accordingly;

  • “contravention” includes a failure to comply, and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly;

  • “dismiss”, “dismissal” and “effective date of termination”, in relation to an employee, shall be construed in accordance with section 55 of the [1978 c. 44.] Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978;

  • “post” means a postal service which—

    1. a

      is provided by the Post Office or under a licence granted under section 68 of the [1981 c. 38.] British Telecommunications Act 1981, or

    2. b

      does not by virtue of an order made under section 69 of that Act (suspension of postal privilege) infringe the exclusive privilege conferred on the Post Office by section 66(1) of that Act;

  • “tort”, as respects Scotland, means delict, and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly.

299Index of defined expressions

In this Act the expressions listed below are defined by or otherwise fall to be construed in accordance with the provisions indicated—

ACAS

section 247(1)

act and action

section 298

advertisement (in sections 137 to 143)

section 143(1)

appropriately qualified actuary (in sections 38 to 41)

section 42

associated employer

section 297

branch or section (of trade union)

section 119

collective agreement and collective bargaining

section 178(1)

the Commissioner

section 266

contract of employment

—generally

section 295(1)

—in sections 226 to 234

section 235

—in relation to Crown employment

section 273(4)(a)

—in relation to House of Lords or House of Commons staff

sections 277(4) and 278(4)(a)

contravention

section 298

the court (in Part I)

section 121

date of the ballot (in Part V)

section 246

dismiss and dismissal

—generally

section 298

—in relation to Crown employment

section 273(4)(c)

—in relation to House of Commons staff

section 278(4)(b)

effective date of termination

section 298

employee

—generally

section 295(1)

—in relation to Crown employment

section 273(4)(a)

—in relation to House of Commons staff

section 278(4)(a)

—excludes police service

section 280

employer

—in relation to an employee

section 295(1)

—in relation to a worker

section 296(2)

—in relation to health service practitioners

section 279

employment and employment agency (in sections 137 to 143)

section 143(1)

executive (of trade union)

section 119

financial year (in Part VI)

section 272

general secretary

section 119

independent trade union (and related expressions)

section 5

list

—of trade unions

section 2

—of employers' associations

section 123

Northern Ireland union (in Part I)

section 120

not protected (in sections 222 to 226)

section 219(4)

officer

—of trade union

section 119

—of employers' association

section 136

official (of trade union)

section 119

offshore employment

section 287

place of work (in Part V)

section 246

political fund

section 82(1)(a)

political resolution

section 82(1)(a)

post

section 298

prescribed

section 293(1)

president

section 119

recognised, recognition and related expressions

section 178(3)

redundancy (in Part IV, Chapter II)

—generally

section 195

—in relation to Crown employment

section 273(4)(d)

representative (of trade union) (in Part IV, Chapter II)

section 196

rules (of trade union)

section 119

strike (in Part V)

section 246

tort (as respects Scotland)

section 298

trade dispute

—in Part IV

section 218

—in Part V

section 244

trade union

section 1

undertaking (of employer)

—in relation to Crown employment

section 273(4)(e) and (f)

—in relation to House of Commons staff

section 278(4)(c) and (d)

worker

—generally

section 296(1)

—includes health service practitioners

section 279

—excludes police service

section 280

working hours (in Part V)

section 246