Working time regulations (WTR)
The Working Time Regulations Act 1998 is designed with your health and safety in mind. The following is a brief summary of the regulations:
Working Hours
Under the terms of your contract for services you are not required to work any set hours. However, where you are working on assignments for Select, under the Working Time Regulations Act 1998, you should not be required to work more than an average of 48 hours per week over a 17 week period, unless you agree to do so by opting out of the 48 hour working week. This option will be given to you at the point of registration with Select. Although temporary or contract work is all about flexibility and from time to time companies may want you to work for longer hours, you are under no obligation to do so.
If you’re under 18, you can’t work more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.
Rest breaks
Workers over 18 are usually entitled to 3 types of break - rest breaks at work, daily rest and weekly rest.
Rest breaks at work
Workers have the right to one uninterrupted 20 minute rest break during their working day, if they work more than 6 hours a day. This could be a tea or lunch break.
The break doesn’t have to be paid - it depends on their employment contract.
Daily rest
Workers have the right to 11 hours rest between working days, eg if they finish work at 8pm, they shouldn’t start work again until 7am the next day.
Weekly rest
Workers have the right to either:
an uninterrupted 24 hours without any work each week
an uninterrupted 48 hours without any work each fortnight
For more information on WTR – contact your local Select consultant or visit https://www.gov.uk/maximum-weekly-working-hours