The number of hours you would have to invest and the number of holidays you will have will be mentioned on the contract before you undertake a project. It is very common that of you to be asked of work longer than your shift. It is completely your choice if you want to work more hours, but your employer has no right to force it on you.
There are certain guidelines that establishes the maximum number of hours an individual should labour each week. In general, the maximum number of hours for someone not yet 18 years old, is 40 hours in a week, or eight hours a day. For workers who are aged 18 or above, the number of hours increases to 48 hours a week.
You can contact the environmental health department of your local council or the National Health and Safety Executive (0845 345 00 55) for more information and advice about working hours. According to the law, all workers have the right to a holiday of at least 5.6 weeks (or a total of 28 days of paid leave, if you happen to work five days in a week).
Your holidays may be extended than the minimum right, but it is dependent on your employer. The critical things you should keep in mind about holiday rights are:
• holiday entitlement starts as soon as you begin work;
• your employer has a complete say in when you can take your holiday;
• for holidays you get normal pay;
• after completing the job, you will be compensated for any unused holidays.
In order to meet the requirements for the right to once a year leave you need to be categorized as a worker. You will have no statutory right to paid annual leave if you’re self-employed.
You, as a worker will not have a statutory right to paid leave on bank and public holidays. If you are given a paid leave on a bank or public holiday, this can count towards your 4.8 weeks minimum leave privilege. However, you may be provided with a paid leave on bank and public holidays in addition to your annual leave entitlement, if your employer chooses so.
Great Britain has a total of eight permanent bank and public holidays, whereas, Northern Ireland has ten.
There is no automatic right to an enhanced pay rate that you can exercise if you work on a bank or public holiday. Your remuneration depends on your contract of employment.