Are there any restrictions on hours of work for young workers?

If you are over the school leaving age (16) but younger than 18 you are covered by tougher regulations. You have different and better limits on working time and rights to breaks, which cannot be opted out of.

• You cannot work more than 40 hours per week.
• You cannot work at night.
• You have the right to 28 days paid annual holiday - the same as older workers.
• You should get a continuous break of 12 hours every day (though this can be split in some special situations).
• You should get a 2 day break every week. (If the nature of the job makes it unavoidable, a young worker’s weekly time off can be reduced to 36 hours, subject to them receiving compensatory rest.)
• You should get a break of 30 minutes if your working day is more than 4 and a half hours.

Slacker night work limits apply to some occupations and industries.

Young workers may not ordinarily work at night between 10pm and 6am, or between 11pm and 7am if the contract of employment provides for work after 10pm. However, exceptions apply in particular circumstances in the case of certain kinds of employment, as set out below.

Young workers may work throughout the night if they are employed in:

• Hospitals or similar establishments

or in any of the following activities:

• cultural
• artistic
• sporting
• advertising.

Young workers may work between 10 or 11pm to midnight and between 4am to 6 or 7am if they are employed in:

• agriculture
• retail trading
• postal or newspaper deliveries
• a catering business
• a hotel, restaurant,pub/bar or similar establishment
• a bakery.

The circumstances in which young workers may work are that the work they are required to do is necessary to either:

• maintain continuity of service or production, or
• respond to a surge in demand for service or product and
• there is no adult available to perform the task,
• the employer ensures that the training needs of the young worker are not adversely affected,
• the young worker is allowed an equivalent period of compensatory rest.

Young workers must be adequately supervised where that is necessary for their protection.