Quick answers to the most common questions about your rights at work. Click any question to expand the answer.
Your contract of employment should state whether overtime is voluntary or compulsory. Even if it is compulsory, your employer cannot force you to work more than an average of 48 hours per week unless you have voluntarily opted out in writing. If you haven't signed an opt-out, you can refuse.
Your employer cannot normally change your contract without your agreement. If they impose changes without consent, it could be a breach of contract — and in serious cases, could entitle you to resign and claim constructive dismissal. They must consult with you first. Always respond to any proposed changes in writing.
The statutory minimum is one week if you have worked between one month and two years. After two years, you are entitled to one week for every full year of service — up to a maximum of 12 weeks. Your contract may specify a longer notice period, which your employer must honour.
Only if it is required by law (such as tax or National Insurance), set out in your contract, or you have given prior written consent. Unauthorised deductions from wages are unlawful and can be challenged at an Employment Tribunal.
Yes — but your employer must follow a fair process and have a valid reason. If your illness is related to a disability, you have strong protections under the Equality Act 2010. Dismissing you in those circumstances could constitute disability discrimination. See our Discrimination Claims guide for more.
For most unfair dismissal claims, yes. But there are important exceptions — called "automatically unfair" dismissals — where no qualifying period applies. These include being dismissed for whistleblowing, asserting a statutory right, pregnancy or maternity-related reasons, or trade union activities. See our Unfair Dismissal guide.
Constructive dismissal is when you are forced to resign because your employer has seriously breached your contract — such as by bullying you, cutting your pay without agreement, or making your working environment intolerable. Even though you resigned, the law treats it as a dismissal. See our full guide.
Statutory redundancy pay is based on your age, length of service, and weekly pay (which is capped each year). You must have at least two years of continuous employment to qualify. Your employer must provide a written statement showing how the figure was calculated. Your contract may also entitle you to a more generous "enhanced" payment — check it carefully.
"Without Prejudice" is a legal label for an off-the-record discussion aimed at settling a dispute. In most cases, these conversations cannot be used as evidence in a future tribunal. However, this protection is lost if there is improper behaviour — such as undue pressure to accept a settlement. See our Settlement Agreements guide.
Yes — for most claims, you must contact ACAS for Early Conciliation before submitting an ET1. This also stops the clock on your time limit. See our ACAS Early Conciliation guide for the full process and tactics to watch out for.
For most claims, three months minus one day from the date of the incident. For unfair dismissal this runs from the last day of employment. For discrimination it runs from the last act you are complaining about. Contacting ACAS for Early Conciliation pauses this clock. Missing the deadline is the most common reason claims fail — do not delay.
No — you have the right to represent yourself as a "litigant in person." Many people do so successfully. Our Employment Tribunal Toolkit walks you through every stage of the process. That said, for complex multi-claim cases, getting at least initial advice from a solicitor is worthwhile.
Yes — this is done through a Subject Access Request (SAR) under UK GDPR. Your employer must provide all personal data they hold about you, which can include internal emails, meeting notes, HR records, and more. They must respond within one month. See our SAR Toolkit for how to do this strategically.
In most cases yes — but only if they have a clear policy that you have been made aware of, and only if monitoring is proportionate and for a legitimate purpose. They must tell you monitoring takes place. If they are monitoring without a policy or for improper purposes, this could breach UK GDPR. Always use personal devices and accounts for anything related to a dispute.