2. Language use 1.

Ex. 1. Look at the title and read the first paragraph of the text. What do you think case bonanza means? Why will there be a case bonanza?

Ex. 2. Read the first two paragraphs. What does each of the three planned directives deal with?

Eu employment laws mean case bonanza

Employment lawyers will soon experience a major boom in work after the European Commission last month published plans to outlaw discrimination in the workplace on the basis of age, religion and sexual orientation. At present, UK domestic legislation only allows for claims against employers on the grounds of race, sex and disability. The proposed directive would also cover, inter alia, discrimination based on age and religion.

Further directives are also planned. A second one would deal with outlawing discrimination on the grounds of race and ethnicity more generally, while a third envisages a 'programme of action', providing practical support and funding for education on race-discrimination issues and for groups which target race discrimination.

Once passed, the directives would place a deadline on transposition into the national laws of the member states and might allow people to bring claims against governments and other state employers, such as local councils.

The directives would add to a large number of other European measures already enshrined in UK law, such as those covering maximum working hours and entitlement to parental leave, which were enacted last year, and have led to a huge growth in work for employment practitioners. It is only since the Amsterdam Treaty was passed last summer that European lawmakers have had the ability to introduce anti-discrimination legislation on any basis other than sex.

David Cockburn, the former chairman of the Law Society's Employment Law committee, said: 'The whole discrimination industry will take off in the next four or five years because of so much legislation in the pipeline: He said advising employers on how to avoid claims and increased awareness amongst the public of their rights would give rise to more work for solicitors. Mr. Cockburn added that the scope of discrimination would also be opened up by a broader definition of indirect discrimination in the directive, which would 'remove any artificial hurdles claimants currently have to cross'.

Elizabeth Adams, chair of the Employment Lawyers Association's international committee, said the directives would mean 'more legislation for employers to tackle, more claims and more work for lawyers' as well as a 'simpler route for claimants'.

Language use 2

Ex. 3. Read the whole text and decide whether these statements are true or false.

1. A directive concerning entitlement to parental leave will soon be made into law in the UK.

2. David Cockburn thinks the discrimination industry will expand over the next few years because so many new laws have been passed.

3. Once passed, EU directives apply immediately to member states.

4. Elizabeth Adams thinks that the directives will make it easier for employees to file a complaint against an employer.

Ex. 4. Match these words or phrases from the text (1-4) with their synonyms (a-d).

1. to outlaw something 2. to bring a claim against someone 3. entitlement 4. claimant

a. a person asserting a legal right which has been violated b. a right to benefits specified by law or contract c. to make something illegal d. to assert a legal right alleged to have been violated

Ex. 5. Choose the correct definition and make sentences of your own with the legal terms:

1. At-will-employment a) An employment relationship in which either party can terminate the relationship with no liability if there was no express contract for a definite term governing the employment relationship  b) High risk work involving extra peril entered into willingly by an employee.  c) A unit of the U.S. Department of Labor responsible for the development of plans for training dislocated and unemployed workers.

2. Dismissal with Prejudice a) A racially insensitive court order. b) Termination of an action or claim, barring the plaintiff from prosecuting any further lawsuit on the same claim. c) A court order in a discrimination case.

3. Collective Bargaining a) Negotiations between an employer and the representatives of organized employees to determine the conditions of employment. b) Negotiations between a lending institution and a borrower to determine the circumstances of the repayment of a loan. c) Negotiations between the directors of a museum and an artist to determine the conditions of an exhibition.

4. Nominee a) A person who drafts laws. b) A person who is proposed for an office. c) Someone whose whereabouts are unknown.