WTD - 48hr week
Discussion
After hearing the EU trying to enforce a 48hr max working week yesterday, I wondered how people feel it would effect their business if it is enforced in the UK.
Personally, in my line of work, it would be fairly good news. Companies would not be able to enforce overtime (not that they are really at the mo) and to get the production (etc) they need, would have to look to employing more staff, most likely through temps.
However I see the problems over companies not being able to afford this and then losing production, which in turn could mean more business moving to the Far East.
How would it effect you?
Personally, in my line of work, it would be fairly good news. Companies would not be able to enforce overtime (not that they are really at the mo) and to get the production (etc) they need, would have to look to employing more staff, most likely through temps.
However I see the problems over companies not being able to afford this and then losing production, which in turn could mean more business moving to the Far East.
How would it effect you?
Won't effect me because my company doesn't pay O/T and not many people work more that 40 hours a week.
Years ago I owned a printing and publising company and many of my staff were dead keen to work evenings and weekends for the O/T. A lot of these started to budget for the O/T (with mortgages, etc) and it got to a point whereby they 'needed' the overtime to live on. I can imagine that if this directorate was introduced back then I would have had some serious head-scratching. I'd probably have staff begging for pay rises (or thinking of leaving) because they need to cover their committed outgoings. As such, it would have given me a real problem.
Years ago I owned a printing and publising company and many of my staff were dead keen to work evenings and weekends for the O/T. A lot of these started to budget for the O/T (with mortgages, etc) and it got to a point whereby they 'needed' the overtime to live on. I can imagine that if this directorate was introduced back then I would have had some serious head-scratching. I'd probably have staff begging for pay rises (or thinking of leaving) because they need to cover their committed outgoings. As such, it would have given me a real problem.
Don said:
Hopefully it will affect me greatly.
My firm does Time Management software - which explicity supports monitoring staff time to ensure compliance with the WTD.
Roll up. Roll up.
Deals for PHers.
Actually, it might well effect me positively as well. One of the main reasons for people deciding to sell their company is the ever increasing legislation and Government interference. Owners get sick and tired of it - which is where I come in!
davidd said:
Whereas I agree with the concept of not making people work more than 48hours per week I also think that if someone wants to then they should be allowed.
The EU seem to think everyone is a cretin.
D
People that work for the EU could never understand the concept of people wanting to work longer hours for more money, because they have no point of reference. They themselves are used to working short hours for top dollar.
Martin_S said:
Whereas I agree with the concept of not making people work more than 48hours per week I also think that if someone wants to then they should be allowed.
The EU seem to think everyone is a cretin.
D
According to the reporting of this on Radio 4, people will have the right to 'opt out', by submitting a written waiver of their rights to maximum working hours.
I think, on balance, it isn't a bad thing to give people legal protection against being pressured into working excessive hours against their will, though.
I think you'll find that that is the position at the moment. The new legislation, if it is ratified, will prohibit peple for working more than 48 hours per week even if they want to.
srebbe64 said:
davidd said:
Whereas I agree with the concept of not making people work more than 48hours per week I also think that if someone wants to then they should be allowed.
The EU seem to think everyone is a cretin.
D
According to the reporting of this on Radio 4, people will have the right to 'opt out', by submitting a written waiver of their rights to maximum working hours.
I think, on balance, it isn't a bad thing to give people legal protection against being pressured into working excessive hours against their will, though.
I think you'll find that that is the position at the moment. The new legislation, if it is ratified, will prohibit peple for working more than 48 hours per week even if they want to.
Nope. There is definitely still an opt out clause, albeit subject to tighter restrictions and an absolute maximum of 65 hours a week.
See: www.cec.org.uk/info/pubs/bbriefs/bb28.htm
and: http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/04/285&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
In practice, I can't see that the EU would be able to stop someone working more than 48 hours a week (or 65 hours a week) if they really wanted to. I regularly work additional hours without my employer even being aware of it (admittedly this consists mainly of swanning around the Cotswolds in a sportscar looking at bits of land but, hey, someone has to do it!
I believe the way the law stands at the moment, an employee can work more than 48hrs if they want to by signing an opt out agreement.
This doesn't enable an employer to make them work more, it just means they can be offered more hours.
The problem comes when the employee hasn't signed the opt out. If he/she works over 48hrs, the employer can be done for breaking the WTD. There is a little more to it than this in relation to an average over (I think) 17 weeks.
This doesn't enable an employer to make them work more, it just means they can be offered more hours.
The problem comes when the employee hasn't signed the opt out. If he/she works over 48hrs, the employer can be done for breaking the WTD. There is a little more to it than this in relation to an average over (I think) 17 weeks.
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