Amendment to the Working Time Regulations

In the light of BECTU v UK (see bulletins dated 26th and 28th June 2001), the government has this afternoon announced an amendment to the Working Time Regulations. This follows a 4-week consultation period which concluded last month.

The amendment will remove the 13-week qualifying period for holiday pay, and will substitute a right to take one-twelfth of the annual holiday for each month worked, rounded to the nearest half-day.

This remains technically in breach of the EC Working Time Directive, since it replaces the 13-week qualifying period with, in practice, a one-month qualifying period. However, similar systems are operated by other European jurisdictions and it is unlikely that the new law will be challenged.

The amendments are due to come into force from 25th October 2001. The amending SI is not yet available, but soon should be placed on the HMSO website at http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm.


AND a reminder: from Monday, the national minimum wage increases to £4.10ph for adult workers (from £3.70), and to £3.50ph for workers under 21 (from £3.20).