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Employment Law

Working Time Regulations

The Working Time Regulations protect the health and safety of employees, putting a limit on the number of hours that workers can work each week.

The Regulations provide employees with rights to paid annual leave, rest breaks, and state that a worker should not work for more than 48 hours per week. However, an employee can choose to opt out of the 48 hour working week and work longer hours.

Compliance with the Regulations is not always straightforward, and issues often arise in respect of holiday pay, on-call time, travel time and section 21 defences where certain requirements are dis-applied, on the basis that compensatory rest is provided at another time.

If an employer does not allow workers their individual rights under the Working Time Regulations the worker can bring a claim in the employment tribunal for a breach of the regulations. If a worker is dismissed for reasons relating to the Working Time Regulations their dismissal could be automatically unfair, and they can bring a claim in the employment tribunal for unfair dismissal.

 

Our working time regulations advice for employers

To ensure we meet the needs of each employer and their unique situation we provide bespoke advice on how to deal with working time regulations in the workplace. Our advice on working time regulations includes:

  • Employers’ duties
  • Rest periods
  • Calculating holiday pay
  • Travel time
  • Special cases where regulations are dis-applied
  • Defending claims and strategy

 

Employment law that works for you

As dedicated employment law solicitors we have built a strong reputation, with clients often commenting on our ‘exceptional’ service and commitment to going the extra mile. Working with you to understand your needs and creating bespoke advice in a cost-effective manner.

We are recognised by leading legal directory, The Legal 500, which notes in particular our ‘strong track record for contentious work’ and the work of Stephen Jennings, our head of team, delivering clear results.

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Employment Law Services

Find out more about how we can help you with your legal requirements, with practical advice on a variety of employment law issues for employers. Alternatively, complete our contact form or call us directly to speak to a member of our experienced team.