Your Basic Rights

In basic terms every employee has the following rights:

• the right to a written statement of terms of employment within two months of starting work,
• the right to an itemised pay slip. This applies from the day the employee starts work.
  More on Rights to pay
• the right to be paid at least the national minimum wage. This applies from the day the employee starts work.
  More on Rights to pay
• the right not to have illegal deductions made from pay. This applies from the day the employee starts work.
  More on Rights to pay
• the right to paid holiday. Full-time employees are entitled to at least 28 days a year. Part-time employees are entitled to a pro rata amount
  More on Holidays and holiday pay.
• the right to time off for trade union duties and activities. This applies from the day the employee starts work. The time off does not necessarily have to be paid. Employees also have the right to be accompanied by a trade union representative to a disciplinary or grievance hearing. If an employee takes part in official industrial action and is dismissed as a result, this will be an automatically unfair dismissal
• the right to paid time off to look for work if being made redundant. This applies once the employee has worked for two years for that employer (see under heading Time off work)
• the right to time off for study or training for 16-17 year olds. This applies from the day the employee starts work (see under heading Time off work)
• the right to paid time off for ante natal care. This applies from the day the employee starts work, (see under heading Time off work)
• the right to paid maternity leave. More on Maternity leave.
• the right to paid paternity leave
• the right to ask for flexible working to care for children or adult dependents – see under heading The right to ask for flexible working
• the right to paid adoption leave
• the right to take unpaid parental leave for both men and women (if you have worked for the employer for one year) and the right to reasonable time off to look after dependants in an emergency (applies from the day the employee starts work) (see under heading Time off work)
• the right under Health and Safety law to work a maximum 48-hour working week. This applies from the day the employee starts work (see under heading Health and safety)
• the right under Health and Safety law to weekly and daily rest breaks. This applies from the day the employee starts work. (see under heading Health and safety). There are special rules for night workers
• the right not to be discriminated against. This applies from the day the employee starts work. See under heading Harassment and discrimination
• the right to carry on working until you are at least 65
• the right to notice of dismissal, provided you have worked for your employer for at least one calendar month
• the right to written reasons for dismissal from your employer, provided you have worked for your employer for one year if you started before 6 April 2012 or two years if you started on or after that date. Women who are pregnant or on maternity leave are entitled to written reasons without having to have worked for any particular length of time

• the right to claim compensation if unfairly dismissed. In most cases to be able to claim unfair dismissal you will have to have worked for your employer for one year if you started before 6 April 2012 or two years if you started on or after that date

• the right to claim redundancy pay if made redundant. In most cases you will have to have worked for two years to be able to claim redundancy pay
• the right not to suffer detriment or dismissal for ‘blowing the whistle’ on a matter of public concern (malpractice) at the workplace. This applies from the day the employee starts work (see under heading Whistle-blowing at work)
• the right of a part-time worker to the same contractual rights (pro-rata) as a comparable full-time worker
• the right of a fixed-term employee to the same contractual rights as a comparable permanent employee.

Any issues? let me know

MRP Claims Ltd

Hull Microfirm Centre

266-290 Wincolmlee

HU2 0PZ

Tel: 01482 215001

Tel-07889946925

Fax 08721 154189

simonholborn@me.com