Can I stop an employee going to work for a competitor?
You can include post-termination restrictions or "restrictive covenants" in the contract of employment. However, these are designed to protect legitimate [...]
What is Garden (or Gardening) Leave?
If someone hands in their notice but you don't want them to work their notice period, you may want to [...]
Can I pay employees who are leaving or do they have to work their notice?
If you want to have the option to pay employees for their notice period rather than have them work it, [...]
What notice do my employees have to give me when they leave?
The law doesn't set out the notice that an employee is required to give their employer, it just states that [...]
What notice period do I need to give my employees?
You must give your employees at least the statutory notice period which increases with length of service: Up to one [...]
How much time off are workers entitled to between periods of work?
Workers have the right to 11 consecutive hours' rest in a 24 hour period. They are also entitled to one [...]
What breaks are my employees entitled to take during the working day?
By law, employees over 18 working for more than six hours per day are entitles to one 20 minute rest [...]
What if my employees want to work longer hours?
Some employees want the freedom to work longer hours - to earn more overtime for example. In the UK, workers [...]
Are there different working time rules for young workers?
Workers aged under 18 are not allowed to work more than 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. [...]
What are the working time rules for night shift workers?
Night workers may work no more than 8 hours per 24 hour period - averaged over an 17 week period. [...]
How many hours can employees work?
Workers aged over 18 can work up to 48 hours per week under Working Time Regulations. This is averaged over [...]
Are employees entitled to smoking breaks?
No. Smokers are not entitled to any breaks in addition to the 20 (or 30) minute breaks set out above. [...]
Should I give my casual workers a contract?
Casual workers may not be classed as employees if they are not obliged to work any fixed hours or to [...]
How long should a probationary period be?
A probationary period will typically last between one six months, although there are no set rules on the duration.
What is a probationary period?
A probationary period is sometimes agreed at the start of employment. It usually lasts between 1 and 6 months, depending [...]
What information should be in a contract of employment?
There is some essential information that you will need to include within the statement of main terms and conditions. The [...]
When do I have to give my employees a contract of employment?
You must give your employees a written statement of the main terms and conditions of employment on the day they [...]
Do I have to give my employees a contract of employment?
As an employer, you are required by law to give your employees a written statement of the main terms and [...]
Can a holiday entitlement be carried over to another holiday year?
If a company provides the minimum statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks holiday, these should not be carried over. This is [...]
Can additional holidays be taken as unpaid leave?
Employees do not have the right to take additional holidays as unpaid leave. However, as an employer, you may grant [...]