Working Time Directive : Right people, Right place, Right time

The Working Time Regulations came into force in October 1988, and were later amended in April and August 2003 (to provide enhanced rights to adolescent workers, and to extend working time measures in full to those workers employed within sectors such as rail, air and sea transport).  They were again changed in August 2004 (for junior doctors).  These regulations and amendments can require changes to current working patterns and hours of work that are difficult to develop manually.

The “rule building” functionality within Scheduler enables you to ensure that optimal rosters are created within legal requirements such as the European Working Time Regulations. Scheduler enables you to quickly view the impact of these and other rules on the cost and efficiency of your operation.

The basic rights and protections that the Regulations provide are:

• a limit of an average of 48 hours a week which a worker can be required to work (though workers can choose to work more if they want to)
• a limit of an average of 8 hours work in 24 which nightworkers can be required to work
• a right to 11 hours rest a day
• a right to a day off each week
• a right to an in-work rest break if the working day is longer than 6 hours
• a right to 4r weeks paid leave per year.

Reference links can be found on the www.berr.gov.uk website.

Rostima provides consulting services and software solutions to help you understand how the Working Time Directive affects rostering and planning in your organisation. For further information contact us directly on +44 (0)1628 581 630.