Another One Bites The Dust: Are Football Clubs Playing The Game When It Comes To Employee Contracts?

Despite being regarded by all commentators as a nice man and by most as a good football manager

, Roy Hodgsons departure from Liverpool by mutual consent is the third Premier League manager to leave his job in the current season which is only just over half way finished!

This, together with the constant press coverage of players looking to leave clubs even though under contract, or using interest in their services from a second club to persuade a better deal out of their current employers juxtaposes harshly with those employees on minimum wage in the public sector who may be leaving employment, by mutual consent or more likely otherwise in the next few months.

As a lecturer on the LLB Law at Bradford University School of Management, I have asked - are sports clubs and stars playing by the rules other organisations and employees have to adhere to? Here are the key facts:

Employees rights should all be the same. Theoretically, an employee is an employee, whether a star Premier League striker or a less glamorous road sweeper for the local council. Each has rights and responsibilities in relation to his employer. Each is entitled to a statement of the basic terms of their contract as they start employment and each is entitled to consider action if they think that their departure from employment is unjust whether by way of action for wrongful dismissal under the contract of employment or by action for unfair dismissal under statute.

Both employees and employers have duties to fulfil. The rights of employees may well be touched on in this blog in the future. Just now, I am reflecting on their duties. Amongst a number of duties defined by the courts over the years are those of obedience, to take reasonable care, and of fidelity. In return for this, employers owe duties, amongst others, also to take reasonable care and to treat employees with respect. Some of these terms may be expressed in rather old fashioned language, but I think most people will see what the courts were getting at. Many ordinary workers face career threatening disciplinary proceedings or worse for alleged breaches of their duties, though it seems unusual for sporting stars to be held to account in the same way.

Treating employees with respect often just means cash for football clubs. I do feel sorry for Roy Hodgson in the position he found himself which did appear, from what has come out in the media, to be close to untenable. I am also fairly certain that the mutual consent part of his departure had more than a little to do with the financial size of the pay off he will receive from Liverpool FC. How much easier it seems to be for Premiership football clubs to treat their employees with respect in this area of the contract than it is for cash strapped local public sector employers.

This is a subject we have debated on the LLB Law. In return for the enhanced respect provisions football club staff, and indeed other sports professionals, seem able to receive, I do hope we will see a little more in future of their duties of obedience and fidelity than some of the money grabbing, selfish antics which do become public.

Surely the public sector workers who find themselves out of a job because of the spending cuts may just find their situation just a little easier to take if the well paid sports stars they see actually do play the game?

Have you studied an LLB Law did your legal training give you any views on this?

by: Edmund Brunetti

POST COMMENT

Ion Drum Rocker: A Game Controller Like No Other Diablo 3 Brady Games Game Guide About Mage Pure Guide And Various Complexities Is Getting Involved In Any Games Is Necessary For Children? Games Console Has Witnessed Unprecedented Growth And Development During The Last Few Years Choose Flash Animation Designers- For Stimulating And Visually Appealing Websites! Freelance Illustration Designers And Flash Animation Services Are Family-friendly Games Causing A Hardcore Pc Gaming Revival? How Far Video Games Can Influence Children Strategic Use Of Flash Animation In Website Development The Overall Game Swtor Through Lucas Disciplines Is Really Nicely Offered Flash Website Design Services At Ideazlab Tips To Reduce Hot Flash Outbreaks