Working Time: Law and practice

Book abstract:

The E.C. working time Directive has proved one of the most contentious aspects of E.C. labour law in the United Kingdom , with the UK mounting a legal challenge to it in the European Court of Justice in 1994. This was sweepingly dismissed save for the aspect relating to Sunday working. Finally, the Working Time Regulations came into force in 1998 and as such it is now emerging as an important new legal practice area.

This book, written by a team of lawyers at Pinsent Curtis, attempts to explain the law arising from the E.C. Directive and the 1998 Regulations and their amendments. It draws on research, interpretation and the practical problems experienced by Pinsent Curtis' clients on implementing the law to provide a detailed overview of this area of employment law.

The first five chapters of the book provide a general background to the working time Directive. This includes a description of the history of the Directive and its implementation in the UK, the legal position regarding the Directive prior to the 1998 Regulations, a discussion of the concept of 'working time', the common law approach and its effect on the atypical labour market.

The other chapters in the book focus on specific aspects of the Directive such as the individual 'opt out', rest entitlements, annual leave, night workers, shift work, compensatory rest, excluded sectors and activities, collective workforce agreements, enforcement workers in the armed forces, young workers and special classes of persons.

At the end of the book there are a number of useful appendices including the text of the Directive and the relevant Regulations as well as practical guidance such as specimen opt-out formats, workforce agreements and a collective agreement.

This book offers employment solicitors, trade union chairs, company lawyers and human resources directors an in-depth analysis and practical guide to one of the most important developments in employment law.