Your Basic Employment Rights
As an employee you are entitled to be able to work in a safe environment, and to expect a reasonable amount of pay for your efforts. The
National Minimum Wage has meant that many people now earn more than they used to. Separate minimum amounts apply according to how old you are, and these are usually revised on the 1st October each year.
Safety at workWe all have a responsibility to make sure that our safety and that of others is not compromised while we are at work. An employer has a particular code of conduct to follow, which requires that they do all they can to provide a safe workplace for their staff.
There should be regular
health and safety at work meetings between employees and their bosses, which allow for specific issues to be addressed.
Rest periods, holidays and sick payMost employees are
entitled to receive at least four weeks paid holiday each year, although some companies provide more. You are also entitled to a specific amount of breaks during each working day, depending on how long you work.
There must also be a gap of at least eleven hours between one work day finishing and another work day starting, so make sure this is adhered to.
Statutory sick pay is also available should you need time off due to illness, although if you are lucky your company may provide sick pay which covers all of your wages.
Ask for adviceYour
employment rights can be complicated, but it’s important to understand how they protect you while you are at work. If you have any issues about procedures or anything that happens at work, talk to your employer in the first instance. For example, if you are harassed or bullied, your employer has a duty to deal with the issue and ensure it does not happen again.
Your job contract should provide details of how your contract of employment works, what is expected from you and what the employer will do in return. If there are any grey areas or anything you do not understand, be sure to ask.
Even though the vast majority of companies abide by the law and are generous with the benefits they give to their employees, not all of them are. It’s important to remember however that even if your contract stipulates that you get less in the way of rights than the law demands in your situation, the law will always prevail.
