Working hours ?

bargainbird

Can anyone tell me if there is a legal platform as to how many how you can legally work ?

Example : DH is being asked to work 60 hrs +

Any advice welcome

Thanks

Tibbledom

Usually 48 hours per week unless you choose to work more

See the CAB adviceguide website leaflet for the detail and exceptions etc

www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/e_working-hours.pdf

cathf

Absolutely. You can only work over 48 hours if you sign an Opt Out agreement. Even if you have, you can give notice to retract it if you no longer wish to work over 48 hours.

bargainbird

cathf wrote: »

Absolutely. You can only work over 48 hours if you sign an Opt Out agreement. Even if you have, you can give notice to retract it if you no longer wish to work over 48 hours.

Do you have to sign an agreement, as they have not done this, but regulary work over 48 hrs

Thanks, is the a limit, they are expecting them to work over 60.

Tibbledom

bargainbird wrote: »

Do you have to sign an agreement, as they have not done this, but regulary work over 48 hrs

Thanks, is the a limit, they are expecting them to work over 60.

It needs to be in writing if they are working over 48 hours per week. The employer may have a standard agreement, which each employee individually signs, but no employee should be pressurised into signing it.

If you've looked at the earlier link you will see that the weekly hours are averaged over what is called the Reference Period (usually 17 weeks). So they can work more than 48 hours in a single week without signing anything as long as the 17 week average is below 48 hours.

I'm not aware of any obvious upper maximum if they agree to it in writing.

liney

If you sign the opt out you can work 13 hours per day (because you have to have 11 between shifts) for an average of 6 days per week (because you must have at least one rest day per week) so technically the maximum working week would be 13*6 days = 78 hours although you could do 13 hours *7 days under special circumstances, as long as you get a compensatory rest break.

LittleVoice

liney wrote: »

If you sign the opt out you can work 13 hours per day (because you have to have 11 between shifts) for an average of 6 days per week (because you must have at least one rest day per week) so technically the maximum working week would be 13*6 days = 78 hours although you could do 13 hours *7 days under special circumstances, as long as you get a compensatory rest break.

Workers are entitled to 11 hours between shfts but it is not the case that they must have 11 hours rest between shifts.

The rest day per week can be averaged over two weeks - so it is not the case that an employer has to give you a day off a week. And again, it's an entitlement.

bargainbird

thanks for all your replys, they are really helpful as it seems a bit of a minefield so the upper limit is 78hrs with 1 days rest...?

Sorry does this still apply if it is a driving job ?

ohreally

bargainbird wrote: »

thanks for all your replys, they are really helpful as it seems a bit of a minefield so the upper limit is 78hrs with 1 days rest...?

Sorry does this still apply if it is a driving job ?

If he's a driver then all bets may be off, it depends on the class of vehicle he's driving....bus, hgv, etc.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/freight/road/workingtime/peanregulationecno5612001164.pdf
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/freight/road/workingtime/rdtransportworkingtimeguidance

Tibbledom

bargainbird wrote: »

Sorry does this still apply if it is a driving job ?

There are tighter restrictions on hours for those in driving jobs. It depends whether he is driving a van or larger vehicle etc.

Not something I know that much about but could be affected by the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations if it is a larger vehicle (see below link for what vehicles are classed as larger vehicles and the regulations affecting these)

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/freight/road/workingtime/rdtransportworkingtimeguidance

Edit:sorry ohreally was typing and missed your reply