
Typically, you calculate part-time workers entitlement pro rata. Part-time workers have similar entitlements. Workers can take leave from the first day of their employment.
Here, we’ll look at what is allowable under the working time regulations, and what isn’t.įirst, there is no automatic entitlement to extra days off for bank holidays. But of course, annual leave isn’t as simple as that. The minimum entitlement for annual leave is 5.6 weeks a year. The law states that you must give everyone who works for you paid annual leave.
An uninterrupted 48 hours without any work each fortnightĪgain, whatever your policy, you should outline it in your employees’ contracts. An uninterrupted 24 hours without any work each week. There are two different types of weekly rest set out by the working time regulations. This means they shouldn’t start work again until at least 7am on Thursday. This would work as follows:Ī worker finishes work at 8pm on a Wednesday. Individuals have the right to 11 hours rest between working days. If the employee works less than six hours, then they don’t need to have a break. Whatever your break policy is, you should outline it in your employment contracts. You don’t have to pay the employee for this break. Individuals have the right to a minimum of one uninterrupted 20-minute rest break during their working day. Here’s what they mean: Rest breaks at work Working Time Regulations – breaksĮmployment law on the working time regulations divides working breaks into three categories:Īll three are legal employee entitlements. If the case involves an unfair dismissal, a tribunal could order you to pay compensation payments to the employee. If you don’t address the situation, you can receive unlimited fines and imprisonment.
This will usually be your first and final warning. If you fail to adhere to the regulations, or force an employee to opt out, there are serious consequences.Īn initial breach of the working time regulations can lead to an improvement notice being issued. Penalties for breach of Working Time Regulations Speak to one of our experts today on 01455 858 132. If you’re unsure whether a role is an exception to the working time regulations, don’t wait until after you’ve hired the employee to seek advice.
Where working time isn’t measured and you are in control (you control when you work). Seafarers, fisherman or workers on vessels on inland waterways. Armed forces, emergency services or police. Places of work where 24-hour staffing is required. You cannot terminate an employee’s contract if they refuse to opt out.Īside from this, there are some roles that are exempt from the 48-hour working week. The most important thing to note when opting out of the 48-hour week is getting employee consent. However, they must still have adequate breaks. This means they can work a greater number of hours. Let’s take a look at these next… Working Time Regulations – opt outįirst of all, employees may opt out of the 48-hour week. Restricted to 8-hours per day and 40-hours per week if they are aged 16-18.Īs with most laws however, there are exceptions, exemptions, and further elements to consider. Not allowed to work over eight hours - for night shifts - in any 24-hour period. Given a minimum of one day off per week. Meant to have 11 hours of rest between working days. Entitled to a 20-minute rest break (for working days longer than six hours). Allowed 1 consecutive hours' rest per 24-hour period. Entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid time off per year. Required to work an average of / no more than 48 hours a week, unless they specifically opt-out.
The basic provisions of the Working Time Regulations state that employees are: Businesses usually average this over 17 weeks. They state that no individual should work for more than 48 hours a week on average. What are the Working Time Regulations?Īt its core, the regulations are quite simple. In this article we’ll take a look at what they are, what they say, and how they impact your workplace. This makes it vital to understand.įailure to comply with these regulations can seriously harm your reputation and lead to costly employment tribunals. It dictates a lot of the rules and regulations concerning periods of work for your employees. The Working Time Regulations 1998, sometimes known as the ‘working time directive’ or just ‘working time regulations’ is the leading piece of legislation that determines your employees’ working hours.