HR backs EU plans to end 48-hour work time opt-out

More
than three in five HR professionals quizzed in a survey have backed the
European Union’s tough stance on the UK’s opt-out of the Working Time
Directive.

A
poll of 114 HR staff by consultants Croner found that 61 per cent felt the EU
was right to try and restrict employee hours to a maximum of 48 hours per week.

Industry
bodies have strongly criticised EU plans to try and remove the UK’s current
opt-out from the directive, which enables employees to sign away the right to
work a maximum of 48 hours.

The
survey results are published as the EU starts a consultation on the revision of
the Working Time Directive, which came into force in 1998.

By Ross Wigham