Employment law continues to expand both in terms of volume and complexity, and the amount of regulation covering the employment relationship and the workplace has grown substantially in recent years. HR professionals can add real value to today’s business decisions by being able to anticipate, evaluate and advise key stakeholders about the implications of employment legislation.
The advanced qualifications in employment law from CIPD Training will give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to be acknowledged as the principle source of employment law expertise and guidance within your organisation.
Who it is for
The postgraduate level qualifications are designed for experienced HR professionals, line managers or consultants who already have a good general understanding of employment law.
Typically, you'll have degree-level qualifications or equivalent and three years' HR experience.
How long it takes to complete
The CIPD Advanced Level Award in Employment Law programme usually takes 12–18 months to complete, although it can be taken over a longer period up to a maximum of two years.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Employment Law programme usually takes two years, which is the maximum time allowed, although it can be completed in a shorter time.
How to gain the qualification
You may choose between two different advanced level qualifications. You must decide which one you wish to take within two weeks of attending a common Introductory Workshop:
CIPD Advanced Level Award in Employment Law (AAEL)
This is an exam-based route. In addition to attending all face to face course modules, you must complete one 3,000 word workplace based assignment and pass an employment law examination. This qualification is awarded by the CIPD.
OR
Postgraduate Certificate in Employment Law (PGCEL)
This is a continuous assessment route. In addition to attending all face to face course modules, you must complete four 3,000 word case study based assignments. This qualification is awarded by the University of Surrey.
Neither route is better or preferred to the other – both require motivation, commitment and a high level of self-managed learning.
Find out more about the structure and format of the programme and the study methods
What you will learn
The advanced qualifications in employment law will give you detailed knowledge of the following:
- the principal features of the English legal system, its institutions and procedures, including: CAC, Acas, ETs, EATs, ECJ, EOC, CRE, DRC, ILO and ADR
- the role of employment law in delivering organisational business objectives
- the influence of EU employment law, the impact of EU Directives and how they are transposed into national legislation
- how to apply legal principles to employment (individually and collectively) to ensure your organisation complies with terms of employment, and how to draft and change employment contracts
- the law as it applies to recruitment and selection, employment rights, pay and benefits, unfair dismissal, redundancy, transfers of undertakings, breach of contract and discrimination
- employee relations and the law, including the role of trade unions, their members and relationships with employers
- how to tackle grievance, discipline and dismissal issues; how to conduct effective disciplinary hearings; and the practical advice and guidance you can give to help line managers handle difficult situations
- maternity and family leave: comprehensive knowledge and practical application of maternity, parental, paternity, adoption and dependent leave and rights associated with requests for flexible working
- the significance of TUPE – the context and relationship between business and HR, identification and application of the legal principles and best practice
- data protection issues and how to apply the legal principles to organisational policies and procedures especially in relation to collection, storage, use of and access to personal data
- how to manage discrimination and diversity issues, from race, sex, disability, religion and belief, sexual orientation and gender reassignment, to bullying and harassment
- how to determine which employment tribunal cases your organisation should be prepared to fight, and which cases it should settle.