What rights protect people at work and when they buy goods?
The rights and responsibilities of citizens as employees and employers and as consumers, including key employment and consumer protections and the role of trade unions.
A focused answer for AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies on the rights and responsibilities of citizens at work and as consumers, including employment protections, the role of trade unions and key consumer rights when buying goods and services.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA wants you to know the rights and responsibilities people have at work, both as employees and employers, and the rights they have as consumers. You should be able to name key protections, explain the role of trade unions, and apply consumer rights to a scenario. This Rights and responsibilities topic (Paper 2) is tested through "Explain" questions on employment and consumer rights and through scenario questions, such as a faulty product, where you apply the three consumer standards and state the remedy. The examiner rewards correct, specific protections and the recognition that rights come with responsibilities on both sides.
Rights at work
These rights protect workers from exploitation and unfair treatment. A written statement of terms sets out pay, hours and duties so both sides know where they stand; the national minimum wage sets a legal floor for pay; paid holiday and limits on working hours protect health; protection from unfair dismissal means an employer must have a fair reason and follow a fair process to sack someone; and protection from discrimination ensures people are treated equally in recruitment, pay and promotion. Employees also have responsibilities: to do their job properly, follow workplace rules, and obey health and safety requirements that protect themselves and others.
Employers' rights and responsibilities
Employer responsibilities and employee rights are two sides of the same relationship: an employee's right to a safe workplace is the employer's duty to provide one. Employers must also follow the law on contracts, pay, working hours and equal treatment. In return they have the right to set reasonable rules, to expect employees to carry out their duties competently, and to discipline or fairly dismiss workers who do not. AQA expects you to see employment as a balance of rights and responsibilities on both sides, not just a list of employee entitlements.
Trade unions
A trade union is an organisation that represents workers. It negotiates with employers over pay and conditions (a process called collective bargaining), supports and represents members in disputes or disciplinary cases, and provides advice. As a last resort, after negotiation has failed, a union may organise lawful industrial action such as a strike or a work-to-rule to put pressure on an employer. The point AQA emphasises is that industrial action is a last resort, not a first step: unions usually try to settle disputes through negotiation, and strikes are subject to legal rules such as a ballot of members.
Rights as a consumer
These three standards are the core of consumer protection. "Satisfactory quality" means goods must work properly and be free from faults a reasonable person would not expect; "fit for purpose" means they must do the job they are sold for; and "as described" means they must match the description, picture or sample. If goods fail to meet these standards, the consumer is entitled to a remedy from the seller, such as a refund, repair or replacement, with a full refund usually available if the fault appears very soon after purchase. Consumers also have responsibilities, such as paying for what they buy and using products properly, since misuse may end the right to a remedy.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20184 marksExplain two rights an employee has at work.Show worked answer →
A Paper 2 "Explain" question (AO1 plus AO2). Name two rights and develop each.
Protection from discrimination: an employee has the right not to be treated unfairly because of characteristics such as age, sex, race, religion or disability, so they must be treated equally in recruitment, pay and promotion.
The national minimum wage: an employee has the right to be paid at least the legal minimum for their age, so employers cannot pay below this rate.
Markers reward two clearly different rights, each developed with what it means in practice, rather than a bare list. Other valid rights include a written contract, paid holiday and protection from unfair dismissal.
AQA 20214 marksA customer buys a kettle that stops working after two days. Explain the consumer rights that apply and what the customer is entitled to.Show worked answer →
A Paper 2 applied "Explain" question (AO1 plus AO2). Apply consumer law to the scenario.
The rights: goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. A kettle that stops working after two days is not of satisfactory quality, so the consumer's rights have been breached.
The remedy: because the fault appeared very soon after purchase, the customer is entitled to a remedy from the seller, such as a refund, repair or replacement.
Markers reward correct application of the three standards (especially satisfactory quality), the conclusion that they have been breached, and the appropriate remedy of a refund, repair or replacement.
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Sources & how we know this
- AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies (8100) specification — AQA (2016)