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Working Time Regulations

The Working Time Regulations 1998 impose limits on workers' hours of work. Workers cannot lawfully be required to work more than an average of 48 hours a week.

However, a worker may agree to opt out of this weekly working time limit and work more than an average of 48 hours a week as long as he or she does so voluntarily and in writing.

The Working Time Regulations 1998 also give workers the right to a minimum daily rest period between each working day or shift, and to a minimum weekly rest period.


    • Employment law
    • Health and safety
    • Latest News

    Working 85-hour weeks puts seafarers’ personal safety at risk

    by Georgina Fuller 1 Dec 2006
    by Georgina Fuller 1 Dec 2006

    Almost half of seafarers work more than 85 hours a week and are risking their personal safety, according to research....

    • Business performance
    • Employment law
    • Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

    Working time deal shunted to sidelines as EU ministers fail to reach agreement

    by Mike Berry 8 Nov 2006
    by Mike Berry 8 Nov 2006

    Attempts to reach an agreement on Europe’s working time directive have again failed following lengthy talks in Brussels yesterday between...

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Working Time Regulations

    Many want to keep UK’s Working Time Directive opt-out

    by Mike Berry 8 Nov 2006
    by Mike Berry 8 Nov 2006

    EU proposals to ditch the UK’s opt-out of the Working Time Directive are unpopular with both employers and employees, a...

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Working Time Regulations

    TUC says UK does not need opt-out from Working Time Directive

    by Mike Berry 7 Nov 2006
    by Mike Berry 7 Nov 2006

    The UK does not need an opt-out from the Working Time Directive (WTD) as long working hours are in decline,...

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Working Time Regulations

    Darling urged to fight for Working Time opt-out at Brussels meeting

    by Greg Pitcher 7 Nov 2006
    by Greg Pitcher 7 Nov 2006

    Trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling today (Tuesday) carries the hopes of British business to Brussels for crucial negotiations over...

    • Case law
    • Employment law
    • Working Time Regulations

    Commission of the European Communities v United Kingdom

    by Personnel Today 26 Sep 2006
    by Personnel Today 26 Sep 2006

    UK guidance on rest breaks must be changedCommission of the European Communities v United Kingdom, ECJ, 7 September 2006BACKGROUND The...

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Working Time Regulations

    TUC welcomes European Court of Justice ruling about rest-breaks

    by Mike Berry 8 Sep 2006
    by Mike Berry 8 Sep 2006

    The TUC has welcomed the European Court of Justice judgement about the rest-break rights established by the EU Working Time...

    • Employment law
    • Working Time Regulations

    TUC calls for changes to rest-break guidance after ECJ ruling

    by Mike Berry 7 Sep 2006
    by Mike Berry 7 Sep 2006

    The European Court of Justice found that the UK government’s guidance on rest breaks was 'clearly liable to render the rights enshrined in the directive meaningless and are incompatible with its objective'

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Working Time Regulations

    Amicus welcomes government pledge to include offshore workers in changes to working time regulations

    by Mike Berry 25 Aug 2006
    by Mike Berry 25 Aug 2006

    The Amicus union has welcomed a commitment from employment relations minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, to clarify the legislation around allowing offshore workers paid holiday entitlement

    • Employment law
    • Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
    • Latest News

    WTD in ‘safe hands’ after new appointment at DTI

    by Michael Millar 23 Aug 2006
    by Michael Millar 23 Aug 2006

    The UK's position on the Working Time Directive (WTD) is said to be "in safe hands" following the appointment of a new civil servant to build a European consensus on the controversial legislation

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Working Time Regulations

    UK staff oppose limitations on working hours

    by Michael Millar 21 Aug 2006
    by Michael Millar 21 Aug 2006

    Most UK workers do not want the government or European Union to restrict the amount of hours they can work, according to new research

    • Employment law
    • Health and safety
    • Latest News

    Employer ordered to pay £54,000 after worker died in car crash following three consecutive 20-hour shifts

    by Georgina Fuller 23 Jun 2006
    by Georgina Fuller 23 Jun 2006

    Company condemned for failing to monitor hours worked by staff.

    • Rest periods
    • Employment law
    • Working Time Regulations

    Working Time

    by Personnel Today 21 Jun 2006
    by Personnel Today 21 Jun 2006

    Sinead Donnelly, a solicitor at DWF, provides tips on drawing up a policy on working time.

    • Employment law
    • Working Time Regulations

    Working time talks fail again

    by Personnel Today 6 Jun 2006
    by Personnel Today 6 Jun 2006

    Talks to resolve the thorny issue of the opt-out to the Working Time Directive have once again ground to a halt in Luxembourg

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Working Time Regulations

    CBI commends refusal to scrap working time opt-out

    by Michael Millar 5 Jun 2006
    by Michael Millar 5 Jun 2006

    The CBI has praised the government for refusing to give in to pressure from EU member states to scrap the opt-out to the Working Time Directive (WTD)

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