48 Hour Week
Hours of Work – 48 Hour Week
The Working Time Regulations came into effect on 1 October 1998. They include a limit on working hours of 48 per week averaged over a 17 week period.
Employees can agree in writing that the limit does not apply to them. New employees can be required to sign as a condition of employment. However, any employee is entitled to terminate the opt-out agreement at any time upon giving three months notice of wish to do so.
The “48 hour rule” is not applicable to those who work unmeasured time (i.e. (i) not measured or pre-determined or (ii) determined by the employee). Those working unpaid overtime or voluntary overtime taking them beyond 48 hours are not subject to the rule.
There is no longer a requirement on employers to record the hours worked by employees who have opted out, just a record that they have properly opted out (obtain draft agreement from P.B.S)
Following a vote by Euro MPs on the 17 December 2008 that the UK's opt out from the 48 hour week should end, talks continued between the European Parliament and the 27 EU member states in an attempt to achieve a compromise on a revised Directive.Those talks broke down without agreement and the UK opt out is protected for the foreseeable future.
All PBS Information sheets are designed to provide the detail you need to implement best business and employment practices. They are not a detailed commentary on the current law and where advice is needed in a specific case you should contact PBS for expert consultation.
48 hr week