Understanding Contractual, Legal and Ethical Obligations in the Television and Film Industries

Contracts: A contract of employment is between an employer and the employee in whom they both set out their employment terms of right, responsibilities and duties. There is different kind of contract employment such as permanent, part time and fixed term. In the media industry there are certain obligations and contracts that need to be made. These are the types of contracts and legations are; confidentiality and exclusivity. Your contract doesn’t have to be written down in order to take effect in law, however under British law and legislation; you are entitled to a document containing your employment terms within two months of starting work.

Ethical: Ethical obligations give all people an equal opportunity for employment, this means no matter race, color and gender you are. This is achieved by selecting a range of different people from different races when they apply for the job. Examples of this are included in every job application, often under the title of religion or ethnicity.

Legal: A legal contract is a documentation that you and your employee signs. It’s a written piece of rules and regulations that you and your employer have to follow. If the rules or regulations are broken at any point in the contract duration, You then have a legal proof, that you are able to use in court If it comes down to it. Examples of this that case of 2002 where a female employee was getting sexually harassed because you were employed under an illegal precept.

EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATIONEmployment legislation refers to all types of employment measures such as health and safety, equal opportunities, employer’s liability, employee rights, trade unions and copyright. Starting with health and safety, the most important health and safety responsibilities comes down to the employer involved and who are in control of the premises and facilities. The health and safety roles in film and TV industry come down to the investor/client, producer, production company, contractor, designer, supplier, Facilities Company or studio. 

Full Time: Full-time employment is employment in which the employee works the full number of hours defined as such by his/her employer. Full-time employment often comes with benefits that are not typically offered to part-time, temporary, or flexible workers, such as annual leave, sick leave, and health insurance. Full-time jobs are often considered careers. They sometimes pay more than part-time jobs, and usually carry more hours per week.

Part Time : A part-time job is a form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a full-time job. Workers are considered to be part time if they commonly work fewer than 30 or 35 hours per week.

Fixed Term: This is where you are contracted to carry out work for an employer between a start and end date. Fixed-term workers have the same minimum rights as permanent workers

Term time:This is a type of part-time working where you are allowed to reduce the amount of your working hours. It also allows you to take time off during school holidays. These contracts are especially designed for parents with children at school. The terms allow parents to deal with childcare.

Home Working:An employer may contract you to carry out tasks for his/her business, but without the need for you to be based at the company’s office/factory. This is most common with people that have just recovered from a illness and are adjusting back to a working cycle.