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Know Your Rights at Work

Understanding your fundamental rights is the first step to ensuring you are treated fairly. Here is an overview of the key protections you are entitled to under UK law.

Contracts, Pay & Wages

  • You have the right to receive a written statement of your main terms on your first day
  • National Living Wage for workers aged 21+ is £12.21 per hour (April 2025)
  • You have the right to an itemised payslip showing earnings and any deductions
  • Your employer cannot deduct money from your pay without lawful basis or your written consent

Working Hours, Breaks & Holidays

  • You cannot usually be forced to work more than an average of 48 hours per week without opting out in writing
  • If your working day is longer than six hours, you are entitled to at least 20 minutes uninterrupted rest
  • You are legally entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year (28 days for full-time)

Fair Treatment & Discrimination

  • The Equality Act 2010 protects you from being treated unfairly because of who you are
  • Nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation
  • This protection covers recruitment, promotion, pay, and dismissal
Read: Discrimination Claims →

Health, Safety & Duty of Care

  • Your employer has a legal duty of care to take all reasonable steps to protect your physical and mental wellbeing
  • This includes conducting risk assessments and protecting staff from harassment, bullying, and unsafe conditions
  • Failure to meet this duty is grounds for a complaint to the HSE and a potential legal claim

Health, Sickness & Family Leave

  • Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is £118.75 per week for up to 28 weeks (April 2025)
  • You have statutory rights to leave and pay for maternity, paternity, adoption, and parental bereavement
  • You have the legal right to request flexible working from day one of employment

Problems at Work

  • You have the right to raise a formal grievance with your employer and have it properly investigated
  • You have a statutory right to be accompanied by a colleague or union representative at any formal meeting
  • You cannot be penalised or victimised for asserting your legal rights
Read: Grievance Survival Toolkit →

Leaving Your Job

  • You have the right to at least the statutory minimum notice period if dismissed
  • After two years of service, you are protected from unfair dismissal
  • If made redundant with over two years of service, you are entitled to a statutory redundancy payment
Read: Unfair & Constructive Dismissal →

Data & Privacy Rights

  • Under UK GDPR, you have the right to access all personal data your employer holds about you (SAR)
  • Your employer must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data
  • You can complain to the ICO if your data rights are breached
Read: SAR Toolkit →
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