EU Working Time Directive News Feed

Inconsistent Working Time Laws

2007.09.14

New EU legislation aimed at harmonising working time and ensuring minimum rest periods for truck drivers has met with fierce criticism from both trade unions and employers in the road transport sector who say they can lead to 'different interpretations' and 'unintentional infringements'.

Presidency In Bid To Revise Working Time Directive

2007.08.31

The Portuguese presidency is working behind the scenes to secure an agreement on EU working time rules, as the change of administration in France has improved prospects for a deal.

Lunch Breaks For Wimps

2007.08.17

High-flying 80s yuppies believed that lunch breaks were for wimps - but two decades on, almost one in five employees are still subscribing to the same idea.

Short Work of Long Hours

2007.08.03

People who spend too much time at their desk are not doing themselves or their employers any favours, but is Britain as a whole, guilty of indulging in excessive working patterns?

Life Under The EU Charter

2007.07.20

The introduction of the new EU Charter has threatened the UK's opt out from the European Working Time Directive, however British politicians remain focused on ensuring that the opt out is preserved.

Smoking Ban May Increase Stress Levels

2007.07.06

Employers need to be even more vigilant about stress levels in the workplace because staff may already be feeling the effects of the smoking ban.

Increasing Statutory Holiday Pay

2007.06.22

The Government's plans to increase statutory holiday pay to 28 days for workers in England, Scotland and Wales has been put into action, with organisations given until April 2009 to fully implement the changes.

Britons Are Work-A-Holics

2007.06.08

According to a recent report, it seems that Britain is full of work-a-holics with more than one in four employees in the UK working longer than 48 hours each week.

Working Non-Standard Hours

2007.05.25

Research shows that nearly one-third of UK employees work non-standard hours adding £180bn to the economy.

Rate Rise For Minimum Wage

2007.05.11

The Government has accepted recommendations from the Low Pay Commission with regards to proposed increases to the minimum wage.

Drivers Struggle with Regulations

2007.04.27

The introduction of a new piece of legislation regarding drivers' working hours has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons with drivers struggling to comply with both the Working Time Directive and the new regulations.

Concern Over Shift Patterns

2007.04.13

The increase in shift work among junior doctors could have a detrimental effect on the NHS, it has been reported.

New Minimum Wage Set For Agriculture

2007.03.30

The new minimum wage rates have been finalised and will come into effect on 2 April 2007. Thousands of agricultural workers across Northern Ireland are to be affected by the changes.

Compensatory Rest For Bus Drivers

2007.03.16

The appeal tribunal's ruling on working time regulations has put bus drivers' rest breaks in doubt.

Working Time Directive Update

2007.03.02

Further debate over the Working Time Directive is needed as, once again, ministers have failed to agree on the future of the UK's opt out and what the correct definition of working time is.

Confused by Employment Law

2007.02.16

Small businesses in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK are spending an increasing amount of time filling out forms for the Government, simply to comply with employment law.

Punishment For Non-Compliance

2007.02.02

Brussels is planning to punish EU member states if they continue to flout the rules concerning the Working Time Directive.

Rest Break Policy

2007.01.19

In view of recent press articles about a man who, it is claimed, may not have died if certain ambulance workers were not taking a rest break, the following notes have been prepared to clarify the statutory rules set out in the Working Time Regulations 2003.

Battle Continues For Offshore Workers

2007.01.05

The battle between UK North Sea oil and gas trade unions continues as no side seems to want to back down on the debate over holiday entitlement for offshore workers.

Construction Firms Caught By Increased Regulation

2006.12.22

Half the UK's construction companies have faced the threat of court action in the past 12 months, according to research.