Our solicitors deal exclusively in employment law disputes in the United Kingdom. They are qualified to represent individuals who have experienced a violation of their rights under the Working Time Regulations 1998. Employment disputes can quickly become complicated matters. That is why it is important to work with a solicitor who specialises in this area of the law.

Our specialists who can provide representation to individuals facing employment disputes anywhere in the UK. Our solicitors offer free, no obligation advice on the Working Time Regulations 1998. Simply fill out the contact form or call us on our helpline. You will receive a confidential consultation from a highly-skilled employment law solicitor.

The Working Time Regulations 1998 deal with rights related to rest breaks, paid leave and the number of hours worked in a week. Employees are protected by the Regulations from the first day they begin work. There is no length of service requirement for making a claim. Both full-time and part-time employees, as well as casual, agency and contract workers, are covered.

Under Working Time Regulations 1998 employees cannot be forced to work more than 48 hours per week, averaged over a period of 17 weeks. This is known as the "reference period." The reference period is extended to 26 weeks for certain categories of workers. It can be extended to as much as 52 weeks by agreement. Included in this 48-hour period is time spent on job-related training, job-related travel, working lunches and times during which you are "on call" in the workplace.

Other rights afforded by the Working Time Regulations 1998 include:

• One day off each week.
• A 20-minute rest break if the employee works 6 consecutive hours.
• Uninterrupted 11-hour rest break in every 24-hour period.
• Annual paid leave of four weeks.

Night workers are afforded additional rights under the Working Time Regulations 1998. Night workers are limited to 8 hours of work in a 24-hour period. Also, they are entitled to free health assessments at regular intervals. With the exception of the 48 work week entitlement, none of the other provisions of the Working Time Regulations can be contracted out of. The Regulations set forth different rules for workers over the age of 16 but under the age of 18.

The Working Time Regulations 1998 make it unlawful for an employer to terminate an employee because that employee refuses to work more than 48 hours per week. Similarly, it is unlawful to terminate an employee for taking the rest periods and paid leave to which they are entitled. Both scenarios may qualify as unfair dismissal and enable the terminated employee to bring a claim before the Employment Tribunal. A claim for unfair dismissal can also arise if the employee was selected for redundancy based on their refusal to forgo their rights under the Working Time Regulations. An employee who is not terminated but is treated unfavourably because of their refusal to work more than 48 hours may also have a claim.

Our solicitors work on a no win no fee basis. If we do not win your case, you pay nothing, no legal fees or expenses of any kind. To speak one-on-one with a qualified employment solicitor, call the helpline or complete and send the contact form on this website. The advice is free, and you are under no further obligations whatsoever.