Workers' rights
Every day workers basic rights are broken by
employers. Check some of your basic rights here but remember: Unite
does not fight for minimum working rights, we fight for the best.
That’s why our members on average, get paid more then their
non-union counterpart.
National Minimum Wage
|
16 – 17 Year olds
|
£3.57*
|
|
18 – 22 year olds
|
£4.83*
|
|
22 years old and over
|
£5.80*
|
*From October 2009
For further advice see the
Direct Govs National Minimum Wage site
Working Students and
tax
Before you start working, ring the Inland Revenue
and get them to send you a tax code
All local tax office phone numbers listed on
the
HM Revenue & Customs website
Without the correct code, you will probably be
put on emergency tax, which is much higher than most students
should be paying. Waiting to claim tax back can leave you skint and
is also a hassle. Ask your employer to complete form P38(S) which
means your wages will be paid gross. Unite runs a service for all
its members which tells you if you are owed tax.
Payslips
Under the
Employment Rights Act you are entitled to receive a fully itemised
pay slip. Make sure you read yours carefully and question anything
you don’t know.
Holiday
pay
Part time workers are entitled to Holiday
pay! It's pro rata so depends on how often you work. Under the
Working Time Regulations you are entitled to 28 days.
Break entitlement
Under
the Working Time Regulations, you are entitled to at least a 20
minute break if you work more then six hours in one shift, and you
shouldn’t be asked to work longer than eight hours in 24 if you
work at night.
However there is no requirement under the
minimum standards that your employer must pay you for this
break.
Terminating
employment
Your employer cannot fire you with
immediate effect after you have been in a job for a month: you then
have the right to a minimum of one weeks notice. This is not the
case for claims of gross misconduct.
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