Breaks at Work

Rest Breaks

Most employees are entitled to a break at work during the day. Employees over 18 and working 6 hours or more, are permitted  a break of at least 20 minutes during the day. ‘During the day’ therefore means at a time during an employees work, this would most commonly be a lunch or tea break.

Not all breaks however are compensated, and may not always be taken at the same time; for instance for shift workers. Shift workers such as a security guard are entitled to a break, which is known as a ‘compensatory break’.

Daily Break

When it comes to breaks during the week, an employee is entitled to 11 hours between two working days. An employee under the age of 18 is entitled to at least 12 hours between working days.

Weekly Rest

Workers have the right to an uninterrupted 24 hours off work each week. If this is incompatible with the business working schedule employees must be provided an uninterrupted 48 hours without work each fortnight.

An employee under the age of 18 is entitled to 48 hours off work each week.