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Time Off

Holidays
Working Time Regulations state that all workers must have a minimum of four weeks' paid leave per year. This is based upon your 'average' working week, so a full-time worker is entitled to a minimum of 24 days.
Part-time and temporary workers are likewise entitled to an equivalent amount of leave, although in the case of temporary workers this may be rolled up in the normal pay packet (it must be shown as a distinct item upon any wage slip). In most cases this entitlement is given as a block sum at the beginning of each year. However, employers are allowed to use an accrual system in the first year of employment where those four weeks build up over twelve month-long periods.

Employers are legally allowed to include public holidays as constituting part of the four weeks if they so wish, although many do not do so. However, this must be explicitly mentioned on your employment contract.

You must book this paid leave with your employer's permission, and you must give sufficient notice, which is twice the number of days leave that has been requested (e.g. a request a weeks leave requires two weeks notice). Employers actually have the right to tell you when to take your holidays, but must follow the same requirements regarding notice as does the worker.

If your contract permits it, you can take unpaid lieu time if you have worked more than your contract specifies. This lieu time is usually measured by the hour and you can only receive this after you have done extra work. This lieu time is also subject to your employer's approval in terms of when you take it. But remember, if your contract includes lieu time, you are legally entitled to it, and your employer is contractually bound to give it to you at some point, or pay for the extra hours worked.

Sick Leave
Whether or not you are entitled to be paid when you are off work due to illness depends on your contract of employment. Your employer must give you details of these arrangements within eight weeks of you beginning your job, although even if they said they would give sick pay, they can change their mind before they give you these details. However, once they have given you the details, they are contractually obliged to follow them.

If your employer does not give sick pay, you may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay if you make National Insurance contributions.

Maternity leave
You are entitled to maternity leave from the first day of employment. You will also be entitled to paid maternity leave if you have worked for 26 weeks by the 15th week before your baby is due.
If you have qualified for maternity pay, you may extend your leave by a further 26 weeks, although this leave will be unpaid and you will have fewer rights. It is possible for you or your union to go into negotiation with your employer over the terms of this additional maternity leave, but your employer has no obligation to do so.
After returning from maternity leave, you or your union may wish to negotiate more flexible work times. Your employer is legally obliged to seriously consider giving you this flexibility, but (s)he is not obliged, ultimately, to agree to anything. As with many things, you are much more likely to be successful if you are in a union.

Under health and safety regulations, all women must take two weeks of compulsory maternity leave following childbirth. It is illegal for an employer to employ someone during this period.

Maternity leave also extends to adopted babies. However, some other rules apply.

Paternity Leave
Paternity leave can last for one or two consecutive weeks. If you wish to take paternity leave, you must give your employer details of:

  • When your child is due to be born.
  • The date you have chosen to leave on.
  • The amount of time you intend to take off. This notice must be given on or before the 15th week before the baby is due.

You must also choose a specific point in the baby's development at which you will leave:

  • The day the child is born.
  • A specific number of days after the child is born.
  • A specific date no less than a week after the child is born.

You may take paternity leave if you are not the child's father but are its mother's partner and will be partially responsible for it.

You do not receive any pay for paternity leave, but you can take parental leave instead, since in some cases (depending on your contract), parental leave is paid leave. Parental leave is time off for looking after a child, and can only be taken in one-week chunks with a minimum of 21 days notice.

Adoption Leave
Women who adopt have the same maternity leave rights as any other mother-to-be. Men, however, must take adoption leave rather than paternity leave. The two are extremely similar, but there are some differences. Firstly, you must notify your employer within seven days of having been matched with a child. Your employer may tell you to fill out an SC4 form, which is a certificate that shows you are eligible for adoption leave. However, you are not obliged to complete this form unless your employer tells you to. Strangely enough, you are only entitled to paid adoption leave if your earnings are above the Lower Earnings Limit. This is the lowest earnings threshold above which you are eligible to pay National Insurance contributions. If you are the named adoptive parent (all adoptions must state just one primary adopter), you may be eligible for additional adoption leave of 26 weeks.

Breaks

Rests During Shifts
You are entitled to no less than 20 minutes of uninterrupted rest on any shift of six hours or more. This is sometimes greater if it states so in your contract, but never less. This rest must be taken during the shift, and not at the beginning or end.
This does not apply to those whose working time is unmeasured.

Daily Breaks
As an adult worker you are entitled to 11 consecutive hours rest in any 24 hour period, and if you work at night, then you are entitled to more.
Any different arrangements must be collectively agreed upon by you/the workforce and your employer, and compensation must be made for any rest that may be lost as a result of this.
Again, this is only applicable to workers whose working time is measured.

Weekly Breaks
You are entitled to no less than 24 hours of uninterrupted rest in any seven day week. However, your employer may change this to two 24 hour uninterrupted rest periods in every 14 day period, or one 48 hour uninterrupted rest period in every 14 day period.
This is in addition to the 11 hours of daily rest.

Night Workers
If you work for at least 3 hours between 11pm and 6am, you are classed as a night worker. Your employer must t take reasonable steps to ensure that you work for no more than 8 hours in every 24 hour period.

If your work involves hazardous tasks, then this 8 hour rule is strictly enforced.

Mobile Workers
If you work in rail or road transport, your rest periods are more ambiguous. You are entitled to adequate rest, which can vary. It is advisable to take advice from your union about how much this is.

Compassionate Leave
Compassionate leave doesn't exist unless it involves a dependant. Unless it is explicitly written in your contract of employment, it is down to the discretion of your employer as to whether (s)he allows you time off for personal problems.

Voluntary Work
You are generally not allowed time off for voluntary work. However, in some cases, your employer will have a partnership scheme with a charity or voluntary organisation in which you are allowed normally between one and three paid days a year to participate in this scheme. Normally you must sign up to the scheme for a certain amount of time in order to qualify for this paid time off.