Money and Work (ISBN 978 1904905 48 6)

Foreword

By Cherie Booth, QC

Thirty years ago, being in employment was a relatively straightforward business. An employer would engage an employee, who would slot into the workforce and get paid for getting the job done. Employers didn’t ask too many questions of their employees, who, in turn, didn’t ask questions of their bosses. And when disputes occurred, both parties would head off for to the relatively unsophisticated industrial tribunal, as they used to be known, give evidence without first exchanging witness statements and then await the tribunal’s determination. The tribunal hearing would take place in a cold, barely furnished room, which alone was sufficient to keep the press from the door.

As readers of this book will discover, social and technological advances and legislative changes have propelled us all into a far more complicated far more regulated world of work. Most young people whilst in full time education have benefited from other people’s taxes but now on the threshold of work, its payback time and for many the plethora of rules governing tax are not only incomprehensible but are often remote from the benefits for which they pay. This book provides essential insight into what taxation is all about.

Domestic employment legislation has mushroomed at an astonishing rate, often driven by European directives. The primary purpose of these developments has been to develop the protection of individual and collective employment rights. These reflect the changing nature of our society and its current preoccupations. Glancing at the chapter headings in the work section of this book confirms that the world of work in the 21st century is multifaceted, complex and full of pitfalls for the unwary. Certainly the old assumptions about the role of men and women in the workforce and the pattern of working life whether in respect of work/life balance or retirement are no longer valid. This book provides a quick and accessible overview of what to look for and where to go if things go wrong and is an essential signpost for all those new to the world of work.

Cherie Booth QC

Matrix

Grays Inn

London

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