This factsheet outlines key developments in 2025 affecting workforce management. In particular, the proposed Employment Rights Bill (2024) will drive significant changes, anticipated to start late 2025.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n\nDownload Now<\/a> <\/section>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n Beyond the statutory requirements, it is crucial to consider the terms of employment contracts. If an employee’s contract specifies working hours that do not include weekends, you generally cannot unilaterally change this without the employee’s consent. Many contracts, however, include clauses about flexibility in working hours<\/a> or the possibility of occasional weekend work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For new hires, employers can include weekend work as part of the job requirements, making it clear from the outset that this is an expectation of the role. It is always best to be transparent about working hours during the recruitment process to avoid any misunderstandings later.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n Continue reading this article below the form\n <\/i>\n<\/a>\nContractual Considerations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
While traditional weekend working is not generally prohibited, you are legally required to provide a minimum number of hours of \u2018uninterrupted\u2019 weekly or fortnightly rest breaks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Exemptions and Partial Exclusions from the WTR <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are certain categories of workers who are partially excluded from the provisions of the WTR and these include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- \u2018autonomous decision makers\u2019, or workers with control over their own hours who are not monitored by employers, such as managing executives; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- mobile workers who are not covered by the Aviation Directive or Road Transport Directive; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- shift workers who, when they change shifts, cannot take a weekly or daily rest break; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- workers whose duties involve work that is split during the day; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- workers in the armed forces, emergency services, police, security or surveillance; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- workers employed as domestic servants in a private household;\u00a0and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- workers employed as as a seafarer, sea-fisherman or worker on vessels on inland waterways. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These workers do not benefit from the WTR on legally mandated weekly or bi-weekly minimum uninterrupted rest breaks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shop and Betting Workers <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Shop workers and betting workers are protected explicitly from working on Sundays under the\u00a0Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended)<\/em><\/span>. Where it is specifically included in their employment contracts to work on Sunday, a shop worker or betting worker may, at any time, give an \u201copting-out notice\u201d to their employer that they object to Sunday working. However, this protection does not apply to shop workers and betting workers who are only employed to work on Sundays.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n
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\n \n 2025 Key UK Employment Law Changes<\/div>\n\n\n