Is there legislationin the UK which states there's a maximum number of hours you can work per week?

Question

I want to know if there is a legal maxiumum working week as I know someone who is being made to work an 82 hour week and I want to know if the company is breaking the law.

I have been on to the HSE website but it's not the easiest to navitgate and I can only find research which discusses what kind of hours are considered "long"...but I can't find anything about legal requirements. Maybe there are only non-binding recommendations?

If anyone knows the law on this - especially if there's anyone who can give me a link to a web page where I could print out any legislation on this - it would be very much appreciated.

Not sure if this would affect the legislation, or if there is a separate law concerning shift patterns, but the hours I refer to above are being worked as twelve hour shifts every day solid for weeks, fornights and even months.

I appreciate that a contract is in place stating a maximum working week, and that overtime must (and is being) paid for these extra hours, but I want to know what help there is for an employee who is being pressured to work these extra hours and feels they have to 'volunteer' because they can't say no.

Answer 1

48 hours normally as a maximum.
Try this link.
http://www.incomesdata.co.uk/information/worktimedirective.htm#Article6

Answer 2

If you have a contract of employment with a company, then it will state in the contract the time you start work and the time you finish and the number of hours you work each week. Any hours over and above your contract must be paid at a higher rate and it must be done voluntarily. You said that someone is being made to work 82 hours a week. No employer can make anyone work more than the hours in the contract unless it is done voluntarily. No one can be Made to work abnormal amount of hours and all they have to do is say NO!! There is no legislation in force to cover the number of Hours anyone works. There are numerous people who work 12 hour shifts as an example.

Answer 3

The EU Working Time Directive 2003 is the most recent one. It not only covers the maximum time you are allowed to work but specifies the time you must have off between shifts.
As an employee you can opt out of this directive but your employer cannot force you to do this.
At the monent I'm not sure but the weekly limit used to be 48 hours per week with at least 11 hours off between shifts. The Citizens Advice Bureau would be able to give you up to date figures.

Answer 4

Yes, its called the European Working Time Directive and it states that unless as an employee you opt out of the directive you cant work an average of more than 48 hours per week over a 16 week period.

If you dont opt out an employer is breaking the law by forcing you to work more than that unless you work in one of a few exempt occupations.

Answer 5

The answers mentioning the European ruling that UK is a signatory to covers your query.

Basically no one can work longer than 48 hours without a 24hr break unless you voluntarily opt out as previous posters have mentioned.

Driver's however have more strict regulations in which to abide.

Answer 6

European Working Time Directive. You cannot average more than 48 hours a week unless you voluntarily opt out. (to opt out you have to sign a form)

Not 100% sure but think some jobs might be exempt ie Security guards

Answer 7

I am not sure there is, but he should have a contract which states the amount of hours he;s contracted to work - generally no more than 41 hours i would guess. Anything above that should be entirely voluntary and he should be paid overtime...

Answer 8

You should look up The European Working Time Directive, its complex but this is what my company requires its employees to comply with - See

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1311217,00.html#article_continue

Answer 9

I believe its 48hrs, but employers do give you the option to opt out if you wish to exceed this.