WORKING
TIME REGULATIONS
SECTION
5: TIME OFF
Employers
must check:
- How working time is
arranged and whether workers can take the time off
they are entitled to.
- whether any exceptions
or flexibilities apply [more].
- The different entitlements
for young workers.
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Daily rest
A worker is
entitled to a rest period of 11 uninterrupted hours between each
working day.
Weekly
rest
A worker is
entitled to one whole day off a week.
Days off can
be averaged over a two-week period, meaning workers can take two
days off a fortnight. Days off are taken in addition to paid annual
leave.
Employers
must make sure that workers can take their rest, but are
not required to make sure they do take their rest.
For
information on when the limits may not apply click here
Mobile workers are excluded from the usual rest break
entitlements under the Working Time Regulations. Instead, these
workers are entitled to 'adequate rest'.
'Adequate rest' means that workers have regular rest periods.
These should be sufficiently long and continuous to ensure that
fatigue or other irregular working patterns do not cause workers
to injure themselves, fellow workers or others, and that they do
not damage their health, either in the short term or in the longer
term.
Special
rules for Young Workers
Daily
rest
A young worker
is entitled to 12 uninterrupted hours in each 24-hour period in
which they work. The rest may be interrupted if periods of work
are split up over the day or do not last long.
A young worker’s
entitlement to daily rest can be reduced or excluded in exceptional
circumstances only. Where this occurs, the young worker should
receive compensatory rest within 3 weeks.
Weekly
rest
Young workers
are entitled to two days off each week. This cannot be averaged
over a two-week period, and should normally be two consecutive
days.
If the nature
of the job makes it unavoidable, a young worker’s weekly time
off can be reduced to 36 hours, subject to them receiving
compensatory rest (see
section What is compensatory rest?).
What
to do if you are not receiving your rights as a worker
What
records do employers need to keep?
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