Muhammed Awais
D2 –
Working Hours
In this report, I will talk about EU law directive, the directive will be about the working time directive and how
it has influenced the UK. Firstly, a directive is an obligation which is set by the European Union and it would
like for all member states to influence the law in their law by a certain set date. Member states must if needed
change their own law to implement EU new law. An example of a directive set by the EU is the working time
directive and in this report, I will evaluate the impacts of the working time directive on UK law. The UK had
implemented this directive by using the statutory instrument. The new law was called Working Time
Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1883) and further amendments were made to this law using statutory instrument in
2003. This law regulated the time people in UK can work and give rights for paid holiday.
The working time directive created by the EU, requires for employee’s that work in any European countries
must obide by the legislation which they set. The directive says that a person over the age of 18 cannot work
more than 48 hours a week. If someone would work 7 days a week then this would mean they would work 6
hours a day. But if they work 5 days a week then they will be working 9.6 hours a day. However, they can
choose to opt out of the rule. When they do this, they should do it voluntarily, they cannot be forced to do it. If
they do opt out, then they can work more than 48 hours a week. Employers can request for you to opt out but
they cannot sack you or treat you unfairly if you choose not to follow what the employer says. When you opt out
you should do it voluntary and have it written down. you can opt out for a long time or short time it is up to you
of how long you would like to opt out for. There are a group of people who cannot opt out of the 48 hour a
week, these are airline staff, someone who works on a ship or a boat, a worker who works as a delivery driver,
there are some vehicles which are included by the EU and a security guard which is carrying valuable goods.
You can cancel the opt out agreement whenever you want to opt out, even if it will be part of your contract.
You must give your employer 7 days’ notice and give a 3 month notice if there is a written down agreement.
The main point of making this law was so that people work less, this is because some people work too long
which could affect their health. Workers in the UK after the directive are working less than what they used work
before the directive. As workers, would do less hour’s companies require more people to do the long hours
which the people used to do, they will need to employ new people so that they can take some hours and so that
there isn’t an employee working more than 48 hours a week. The consequence of the directive was that
employment had increased. In article 22 of the Working Time Directive it allows for the employees to work
more than 48 hours a week. They must reach an agreement with their employer and the employer cannot put
pressure for him to opt out. Before the working time directive there was no law in the UK which stated how
long someone can work for, this allowed for people to work more than 48 hours and they couldn’t do anything
about it but accept it. During the 19th century there has been a decreased amount of hours’ workers work in
developed countries such as UK, USA and Australia. Between 1983 to 1998 the number of workers working
more than 20 hours, it had increased from 10% to over 14%. The amount of people working 48 hours had also
increased from 17% to 20%. Analysis from the OECD data showed that there was a high number of people
working more than 48 hours in France, Germany and Netherlands, US and UK and Australia. The data in the
table shows that there has been a decrease in the number of hours’ people have worked in outside of the EU
countries. The countries which weren’t affected by the working time directive set by the UN were also
decreasing in the number of hours worked in a week. Between 2001 to 2012 the UK was the country with most
reduction in people working long hours. In the fifth European Working Conditions Survey 2010, it showed that
the average working hours in the EU has been reduced. In 2001 the EU average working hours was 40.5%. by
2010 it had gone down to 36.4%. Turkey is the country with the most amount of 40 hours a week workers with
92.6% and the UK is before last spot with 44.2. this had gone down for the UK by 4.7%. this shows that the
working time directive did have an effect. There has been a reduced rate of the number of workers in the UK
working long hours. People work more than 48 hours a week due to the amount of money which they get from
the employer. If they are getting less money than they would more likely work longer hours as they want more
money. The government says that one third of work places have one employee which has opted out. Having the
opt out rule is good for businesses and for the worker having choose the opt out. If they were to take away this,
it would be harmful to the business and the worker which has agreed the opt out. Long hour working is more
common in the jobs which give more money and which require very clever people to complete the job.
Evidence from the government suggests that people who work for long hours, only work for a certain amount of
time. They would only do this for 3 months of a year or more
D2 –
Working Hours
In this report, I will talk about EU law directive, the directive will be about the working time directive and how
it has influenced the UK. Firstly, a directive is an obligation which is set by the European Union and it would
like for all member states to influence the law in their law by a certain set date. Member states must if needed
change their own law to implement EU new law. An example of a directive set by the EU is the working time
directive and in this report, I will evaluate the impacts of the working time directive on UK law. The UK had
implemented this directive by using the statutory instrument. The new law was called Working Time
Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1883) and further amendments were made to this law using statutory instrument in
2003. This law regulated the time people in UK can work and give rights for paid holiday.
The working time directive created by the EU, requires for employee’s that work in any European countries
must obide by the legislation which they set. The directive says that a person over the age of 18 cannot work
more than 48 hours a week. If someone would work 7 days a week then this would mean they would work 6
hours a day. But if they work 5 days a week then they will be working 9.6 hours a day. However, they can
choose to opt out of the rule. When they do this, they should do it voluntarily, they cannot be forced to do it. If
they do opt out, then they can work more than 48 hours a week. Employers can request for you to opt out but
they cannot sack you or treat you unfairly if you choose not to follow what the employer says. When you opt out
you should do it voluntary and have it written down. you can opt out for a long time or short time it is up to you
of how long you would like to opt out for. There are a group of people who cannot opt out of the 48 hour a
week, these are airline staff, someone who works on a ship or a boat, a worker who works as a delivery driver,
there are some vehicles which are included by the EU and a security guard which is carrying valuable goods.
You can cancel the opt out agreement whenever you want to opt out, even if it will be part of your contract.
You must give your employer 7 days’ notice and give a 3 month notice if there is a written down agreement.
The main point of making this law was so that people work less, this is because some people work too long
which could affect their health. Workers in the UK after the directive are working less than what they used work
before the directive. As workers, would do less hour’s companies require more people to do the long hours
which the people used to do, they will need to employ new people so that they can take some hours and so that
there isn’t an employee working more than 48 hours a week. The consequence of the directive was that
employment had increased. In article 22 of the Working Time Directive it allows for the employees to work
more than 48 hours a week. They must reach an agreement with their employer and the employer cannot put
pressure for him to opt out. Before the working time directive there was no law in the UK which stated how
long someone can work for, this allowed for people to work more than 48 hours and they couldn’t do anything
about it but accept it. During the 19th century there has been a decreased amount of hours’ workers work in
developed countries such as UK, USA and Australia. Between 1983 to 1998 the number of workers working
more than 20 hours, it had increased from 10% to over 14%. The amount of people working 48 hours had also
increased from 17% to 20%. Analysis from the OECD data showed that there was a high number of people
working more than 48 hours in France, Germany and Netherlands, US and UK and Australia. The data in the
table shows that there has been a decrease in the number of hours’ people have worked in outside of the EU
countries. The countries which weren’t affected by the working time directive set by the UN were also
decreasing in the number of hours worked in a week. Between 2001 to 2012 the UK was the country with most
reduction in people working long hours. In the fifth European Working Conditions Survey 2010, it showed that
the average working hours in the EU has been reduced. In 2001 the EU average working hours was 40.5%. by
2010 it had gone down to 36.4%. Turkey is the country with the most amount of 40 hours a week workers with
92.6% and the UK is before last spot with 44.2. this had gone down for the UK by 4.7%. this shows that the
working time directive did have an effect. There has been a reduced rate of the number of workers in the UK
working long hours. People work more than 48 hours a week due to the amount of money which they get from
the employer. If they are getting less money than they would more likely work longer hours as they want more
money. The government says that one third of work places have one employee which has opted out. Having the
opt out rule is good for businesses and for the worker having choose the opt out. If they were to take away this,
it would be harmful to the business and the worker which has agreed the opt out. Long hour working is more
common in the jobs which give more money and which require very clever people to complete the job.
Evidence from the government suggests that people who work for long hours, only work for a certain amount of
time. They would only do this for 3 months of a year or more
