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.

 

Rest Breaks At Work

If a worker is required to work for more than six hours at a stretch, he or she is entitled to a rest break of 20 minutes.

The break should be taken during the six-hour period and not at the beginning or end of it. The exact time the breaks are taken is up to the employer to decide.  Employers must make sure that workers can take their rest, but are not required to make sure they do take their rest.

SPECIAL RULES FOR YOUNG WORKERS

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.

 

Young workers are entitled to two days off each week. This cannot be averaged over a two-week period.

 

If the nature of the job makes it unavoidable, a young worker’s weekly time off can be reduced to 36 hours.

 

Different rules apply to young workers. If a young worker is required to work for more than four and a half hours at a stretch, he or she is entitled to a rest break of 30 minutes.

 

A young worker’s entitlement to rest breaks can be changed or excluded only in exceptional circumstances.

 

If a young worker is working for more than one employer, the time he or she is working for each one should be added together to see if they are entitled to a rest break.

 

A young worker’s entitlement to breaks can be changed or not taken in exceptional circumstances only. Where this occurs, the young worker should receive compensatory rest within 3 weeks.