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The Working Time Regulations 1998

S.I. 1998/1833 · Made 30 July 1998 · Extends to England, Wales and Scotland

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 1 October 2026.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Made 30th July 1998

Laid before Parliament 30th July 1998

Coming into force 1st October 1998

The Secretary of State, being a Minister designated for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972M1 in relation to measures relating to the organization of working timeM2 and measures relating to the employment of children and young personsM3, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by that provision hereby makes the following Regulations—

Annotations to the whole text

Marginal citations

M1

1972 c.68.

M2

S.I. 1997/1174.

M3

S.I. 1996/266.

Contents

  1. Part I: GENERAL
  2. 1Citation, commencement and extent
  3. 2Interpretation
  4. Part II: RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS CONCERNING WORKING TIME
  5. 3General
  6. 4Maximum weekly working time
  7. 5Agreement to exclude the maximum
  8. 5AMaximum working time for young workers
  9. 6Length of night work
  10. 6ANight work by young workers
  11. 7Health assessment and transfer of night workers to day work
  12. 8Pattern of work
  13. 9Records
  14. 10Daily rest
  15. 11Weekly rest period
  16. 12Rest breaks
  17. 13Entitlement to annual leave
  18. 13AEntitlement to additional annual leave
  19. 14Compensation related to entitlement to leave
  20. 15Dates on which leave is taken
  21. 15ALeave during the first year of employment
  22. 15BIrregular hours workers and part-year workers: entitlement to annual leave
  23. 15CIrregular hours workers and part-year workers: annual leave accrued while on sick or statutory leave
  24. 15DIrregular hours workers and part-year workers: right to carry forward annual leave
  25. 15EIrregular hours workers and part-year workers: compensation related to entitlement to leave
  26. 15FMeaning of irregular hours workers and part-year workers
  27. 16Payment in respect of periods of leave
  28. 16ARolled-up holiday pay for irregular hours workers and part-year workers
  29. 16BRecords relating to annual leave entitlement
  30. 17Entitlements under other provisions
  31. Part III: EXCEPTIONS
  32. 18Excluded sectors
  33. 19Domestic service
  34. 20Unmeasured working time
  35. 21Other special cases
  36. 22Shift workers
  37. 23Collective and workforce agreements
  38. 24Compensatory rest
  39. 24AMobile workers
  40. 25Workers in the armed forces
  41. 25ADoctors in training
  42. 25BWorkers employed in offshore work
  43. 26Young workers employed on ships Repealed
  44. 26AEntitlement to additional annual leave under a relevant agreement
  45. 27Young workers:force majeure
  46. 27AOther exceptions relating to young workers
  47. Part IV: MISCELLANEOUS
  48. 28Enforcement
  49. 29Offences
  50. 29AOffences due to fault of other person
  51. 29BOffences by bodies corporate
  52. 29CRestriction on institution of proceedings in England and Wales
  53. 29DProsecutions by inspectors
  54. 29EPower of court to order cause of offence to be remedied
  55. 30Remedies
  56. 30AExtension of time limits because of mediation in certain cross-border disputes Repealed
  57. 30BExtension of time limit to facilitate conciliation before institution of proceedings
  58. 31Right not to suffer detriment
  59. 32Unfair dismissal
  60. 33Conciliation
  61. 34Appeals
  62. 35Restrictions on contracting out
  63. 35ARegulation 35A
  64. Part V: SPECIAL CLASSES OF PERSON
  65. 36Agency workers not otherwise “workers"
  66. 37Crown employment
  67. 38Armed forces
  68. 39House of Lords staff
  69. 40House of Commons staff
  70. 41Police service
  71. 42Non-employed trainees
  72. 43Workers employed in agriculture in Wales or Scotland
  73. Signature
  74. Schedule 1: WORKFORCE AGREEMENTS
  75. 1Paragraph 1
  76. 2Paragraph 2
  77. 3Paragraph 3
  78. Schedule 2: WORKERS EMPLOYED IN AGRICULTURE in Wales or Scotland
  79. 1Paragraph 1
  80. 2Paragraph 2
  81. 3Paragraph 3
  82. Schedule 2ADoctors in training
  83. Schedule 3: ENFORCEMENT
  84. 1Appointment of inspectors
  85. 2Powers of inspectors
  86. 3Improvement notices
  87. 4Prohibition notices
  88. 5Provisions supplementary to paragraphs 3 and 4
  89. 6Appeal against improvement or prohibition notice
  90. 7Power of enforcement authority to indemnify inspectors
  91. 8Restrictions on disclosure of information
  92. Explanatory note