VAKKI Publications (Dec 2020)

Työsopimus kuvina – oikeudellisen asiakirjan saavutettavuus

  • Eliisa Pitkäsalo

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12
pp. 197 – 210

Abstract

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Traditional written contracts are verbally formulated legal documents especially for and by lawyers to protect their clients in the case of a dispute. However, the signing parties should understand the contents of the documents as well. If they are unable to comprehend that for some reason, the verbal format of an employment contract becomes problematic. In order to solve the problem, Robert de Rooy, a South African lawyer, developed a comic contract, a visualised format of a contract for his client. In my article, I examine how traditional contracts can be translated into comics without losing their value as legally binding documents. The main aim is to discuss, how a traditional employment contract has been translated into visuals in order to help people to access their rights. The analysis will indicate how the main contents of the labour law are transferred into a comic contract following the conventions of the visual language of comics. This leads to a clear, understandable and unambiguous – thus accessible – legal document, which helps the signing parties to understand their rights and duties as employees.

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