Flexible working - the law and best practice
Hours, rest breaks and the working week
Most workers have the maximum hours they should work set down in law. This law covers:
- how long they should work during a shift without a break
- how long they should work in any one week
- what rest periods should be taken between days or nights of work
The law applies to nearly all businesses and to nearly all workers.
This guide will help you understand exactly what rest breaks and rest periods you must offer your employees.
It will explain the special rules that apply to young workers, the circumstances in which your workers can agree to waive or vary the rules, and the sectors which are exempt from the rules.
It will also advise on how you can best manage your workers’ working hours and the importance of keeping good records.
Types of flexible working
The term flexible working covers flexibility in terms of time (eg part-time work, shift work) and location (eg homeworking) and includes the following:
| Part-time working | Workers are contracted to work less than standard, basic, full-time hours. |
|---|---|
| Flexi-time | Workers have the freedom to work in any way they choose outside a set core of hours determined by the employer. |
| Staggered hours | Workers have different start, finish and break times, allowing a business to open longer hours. |
| Compressed working hours | Workers can cover their total number of hours in fewer working days. |
| Job sharing | One full-time job is split between two workers who agree the hours between them. |
| Shift swapping | Workers arrange shifts amongst themselves, provided all required shifts are covered. |
| Self rostering | Workers nominate the shifts they’d prefer, leaving you to compile shift patterns matching their individual preferences while covering all required shifts. |
| Time off in lieu (TOIL) | Workers take time off to compensate for extra hours worked. |
| Term-time working | A worker remains on a permanent contract but can take paid/unpaid leave during school holidays. |
| Annual hours | Workers’ contracted hours are calculated over a year. While the majority of shifts are allocated, the remaining hours are kept in reserve so that workers can be called in at short notice as required. |
| V-time working | Workers agree to reduce their hours for a fixed period with a guarantee of full-time work when this period ends. |
| Zero-hours contracts | Workers work only the hours they are needed. |
| Home working/teleworking | Workers spend all or part of their week working from home or somewhere else away from the employer’s premises. |
| Sabbatical/career break | Workers are allowed to take an extended period of time off, either paid or unpaid. |
Flexible arrangements should comply with the law on working time.
source/moreinformation:http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/employment
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