Employment rights

Summary

There are laws that give everyone basic rights at work. All employers must follow the law. The information below explains what your basic rights are. Your employment contract can give you more rights than the law gives you, but it cannot give you less than your basic rights. We know that migrants and young people are particularly likely to be treated badly at work and not to know their rights - we have written this information to help you especially. Getting free one-to-one advice about employment law is hard. All advice services are extremely busy. We are here to help everyone who cannot get in at an advice service and cannot afford to pay for legal help. We give you the knowledge, confidence, and skills you need to deal with the issue yourself, or with the help of friends or family. If you need more help and support than you can get from our advice guides, we explain how to find advice.

Key information

• There are laws that give everyone basic rights at work. All employers must follow the law. The information below explains what your basic rights are.
• Your employment contract can give you more rights than the law gives you, but it cannot give you less than your basic rights.
• We know that migrants and young people are particularly likely to be treated badly at work and not to know their rights - we have written this information to help you especially.
• Information Worker, employee or self-employed? It is important to understand your employment status because employees have more rights than casual workers or self-employed people. You might be an employee even if your employer says that you are not.  Information Pay, minimum wage, pay slips and deductions Understand the rules around pay, minimum wage, and deductions from your pay. Advice on what to do if your employer hasn't paid you or is not giving you the amount of pay you are entitled to.  Information Working hours and breaks at work There are laws to stop people being worked too hard. Find out if you are being given enough breaks when you are at work and time off between shifts.  Information Health and safety at work - your rights and how to raise a concern Your employer has a duty to keep you safe and protect you from things that could damage your health. Understand what those duties are and what to do if your employer is not keeping you safe.  Information Sick pay and your rights to time off when you are ill Find out your rights to sick leave and sick pay, and losing your job due to illness.  Information Holiday pay and how much leave you are entitled to Understand your rights to be paid for a certain number of holiday days, whether you work full time, part time or are on a zero-hours contract.  Information Parental rights at work - maternity, paternity and redundancy protections Understand your maternity rights at work, and your partner's rights so you can plan for your family and ensure you receive the leave, flexible working, and protection you are meant to.  Information Leaving your job Your rights when your job comes to an end, whether you have chosen to leave or because your employer ended the contract.  Chosen for you Remote and flexible working Information on flexible working and working from home or another place that is not the central office of your employer. How to ask to work remotely or flexibly, and your rights.  Chosen for you Carers and parents rights at work Your rights to pay, time off and to work flexibly. 
• Getting free one-to-one advice about employment law is hard. All advice services are extremely busy. We are here to help everyone who cannot get in at an advice service and cannot afford to pay for legal help.
• We give you the knowledge, confidence, and skills you need to deal with the issue yourself, or with the help of friends or family. If you need more help and support than you can get from our advice guides, we explain how to find advice.

Practical guidance

• Source: Employment rights

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