By law, all workers have a number of rights that have been carefully laid down to ensure that all individuals are treated fairly by their employers. These rights, which have been given by state law in the UK, are called your statutory rights.
Employment rights
As a worker, your employment rights include:
- You must be paid at least the national minimum wage (see below).
- You must receive an itemised payslip that provides a detailed breakdown of your pay and any deductions.
- Health and safety laws include the rights to daily and weekly rest breaks- a daily rest period of at least 20 minutes if the working day exceeds 6 hours and at least one full day off during every 7 days.
- Health and safety laws also state that employers have a statutory duty to take care of the health and safety of their employees by providing a clean environment to work in, first aid equipment, protective clothing, drinking water and washing facilities and ensuring all machinery is safe.
- You cannot be made to work more than an average of 48 hours per week.
- You have the right to a certain amount of paid holiday each year. As a full-time employee you are entitled to 5.6 weeks paid leave per year. Part time workers receive pro-rata entitlement.
- You should not be harassed, victimised, treated unfairly at work or given dismissal notice if you file a complaint or expose suspected wrongdoing in their workplace.
- You must not be discriminated against in the workplace. This applies to all forms of discrimination including age, disability, sex, race, sexual orientation and religious beliefs.
See more here.
Think about your current/ future employer and look out for sign of good or bad employment practices:
- Read through employment contracts carefully
- Clear communication from the start about the job expectations, salary, conditions etc.
- The company makes everyone feel a valued member of the team
- Has workplace health and safety provisions
- Encourages and supports staff development
- Provide regular, constructive feedback and opportunities for communication so difficulties can be resolved.
National Minimum Wage
| Age |
23 and over |
21 to 22 |
18 to 20 |
Under 18 |
| April 2023 (previous) |
£10.42 |
£10.18 |
£7.49 |
£5.28 |
| Age |
21 and over |
18 to 20 |
Under 18 |
| April 2024 (new rates) |
£11.44 |
£8.60 |
£6.40 |
The annual increase in National Minimum Wage helps employees afford rising costs of living, but don’t assume you’re being paid the correct amount:
- Make sure you know the new rates.
- Check you’re getting paid the correctly with the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage calculator for workers.
- Record all hours that you work and make sure it’s clear how overtime is accounted for. This will be included in your contract with your employer.
- If you’re not being paid the National Minimum Wage you can speak to your manager to try to resolve this, or call the Acas helpine for free confidential advice, or submit a complaint to HMRC.
Maximum working hours
According to the ‘working time regulations’, staff cannot work more than an average of 48 hours a week over a 17 week period, although, they can choose to opt-out of the 48 hour work week. For those under 18, it is no more than an average of 40 hours a week over a 17 week period.
Find out more about maximum weekly working hours.
It is up to your employer to ensure there are a sufficient number of paid staff to complete all work required whilst building in substantial breaks during the day.
further Useful information
Visit The Grooms List for extra advice and information for equestrian jobseekers.