1. Introduction to Employment Law

This chapter provides an overview of the fundamental goals of this text. It introduces readers to the running case study feature which is used throughout the text to explain concepts and rules of employment law. It then discusses key issues and themes in employment law. It considers whether labour law has a valid claim to be treated as a self-contained discipline and what distinguishes it from other branches of the law. It explores the role of this area of law and the arguments in favour of the introduction and preservation of such laws. It also addresses a central area of controversy, which is whether such laws stifle or stimulate economic growth. The final issue for discussion is the potential impact of technology-driven workplace changes on employment laws, e.g. automation, AI, etc.