Proposals to protect young people at work

The
Government has announced a consultation on proposals to introduce greater
protection for young people in the workplace.

The
proposals under the Young Workers Directive would limit the working hours for
those between minimum school leaving age and 
18 years of age to 40 hours a week and eight hours in one day.

They
would also prohibit night working between 10pm and 6am or between 11pm and 7am.

Announcing
the 12-week consultation, employment relations minister Alan Johnson said:
"Young workers are a vulnerable section of the British workforce who need
and deserve additional protection. It is also important to recognise there are
small, specific areas of industry that need a certain degree of flexibility in
order to train young people properly and operate effectively.

"These
proposals strike the right balance between ensuring young people are not
working excessive hours or through the night but not excluding them from
suitable opportunities."

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Sections
exempt from the night working restrictions include hospitals or similar
establishments, agriculture, retail trading, hotels or catering businesses and
newspaper deliveries.

www.dti.gov.uk