Research has linked regularly working long and unsocial hours, working excessive hours and being given too much work, with mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression. This duty of care imposes wide ranging obligations on employers but includes specifically, ensuring your employees are not working excessive hours. Many employees opt out of this provision of the Working Time Regulations, however conscientious employers should keep in mind the spirit of the legislation when it was drafted – ensuring protection of workers’ health and safety.Īs a bare minimum you should be ensuring your workers are receiving the above and if you do not, the repercussions can be severe as you risk being reported to the Health and Safety Executive and face possible criminal fines.Įmployers have a duty of care to their employees, which extends to supporting their health, safety and wellbeing. Ensure that each of your worker’s average working time (including overtime and work with other employers) does not exceed 48 hours per week.Allow workers 5.6 weeks’ (28 days) paid holiday each year, pro-rated for your part time workers. ![]() There are limited exemptions and your workers cannot contract out of these rights. a rest break of 20 minutes when working more than six hours per day.24 hours’ uninterrupted rest per week (or 48 hours’ uninterrupted rest per fortnight) and.Allow your workers the following rest periods:.We set out below a summary of the key rights under the Working Time Regulations 1998 which apply to working hours irrespective of whether your employees work remotely or in the office. We are all unique and have different needs, expectations, drivers, and aspirations. Your employees may view their work as the only consistent and stable part of their lives right now and may be putting in the extra hours as a welcome escape from the realities of lockdowns and ‘’the new normal’’. Moreover, many employees report that it is not only the number of hours they spend working, but rather the high levels of stress they experience at work which can influence their personal lives and their ability to enjoy a good work life balance. Some people associate having a better work life balance with working less hours, whereas others believe they would have a better work life balance if they could be more flexible with their working hours. The concept of ‘’work life balance’’ means different things to different people. The information set out in this bulletin is accurate as at 11 June 2021. However, are employers really responsible for ensuring their workers have a good work life balance? This would establish a legal requirement for employers to negotiate with staff and agree rules on when people cannot be contacted for work purposes.Īs you will know from our previous guidance, we are a firm that cares greatly about our own employees’ wellbeing and we actively encourage our clients to do the same. There is now an increased drive amongst unions and employees alike for England to be following suit of other jurisdictions such as Ireland and implementing a ‘’right to disconnect’’ for employees. The Office for National statistics has reported that around one-third of those working from home claimed to be working more hours than usual. Many employees have also been reporting an increase in their workload and working hours as a result of colleagues being placed on furlough and their work being distributed to others in the team or the influx of work when returning from furlough. ![]() ![]() Many employees are reporting that removing their commute and having their work station so accessible has meant that they are in fact putting in more hours than ever before. According to the Office for National Statistics, in April 2020, 46.6% of people in employment did some work at home and of those who did some work from home, 86.0% did so as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Since March 2020 we have experienced the significant shift to working from home, which, in part, is expected to continue indefinitely. Is it the employer’s responsibility to ensure employees have a good work life balance?
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