Young people are getting a raw deal at work. Low pay, job insecurity, limited opportunities for progression, high levels of harassment and a lack of voice in the work place often dominate their working lives.
Many young workers do not know their workplace rights, and subsequently don’t know that they aren’t being met. Leaving them with low expectations of work and accepting of poor conditions.
But with education and discussion about workplace rights and trade unions, young people can critically assess their experiences and take action to improve them.
Young workers have the same minimum employment rights as other employees, and for 16 & 17 years, some additional ones.
This page (also available in a downloadable PDF) outlines these rights:
All workers must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW). As of April 2024 this is:
Apprentices - if you are 19 or over and have completed the first year of your apprenticeship, you're entitled to be paid at least the minimum wage for your age.
If you work full time you have a right to at least 28 days of paid holiday a year (this is the equivalent to 5.6 weeks and includes bank holidays).
If you work part time, you have a right to a proportion of this based on the hours you work.
If you work irregular hours or part of the year you will accrue holiday pay as you work, up to a maximum of 28 days per year.
Your contract may state that you are entitled to more than the statutory holiday entitlement. This is referred to as contractual holiday entitlement.
If you are off sick, you have a right to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you:
As of April 2024, SSP is £116.75 per week.
All employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace.
By law, an employer must do all they reasonably can to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of all employees.
All workers have a right to:
If you are under 18:
All workers have a right to a 20 minute break after 6 hours of work.
If you are under 18, you are entitled to a 30 minute break after 4.5 hours of work.
The night time period is between 11pm and 6am. You are a night worker if you usually work at least 3 hours a day during this period.
If you are a night worker, your employer must ensure you do not work more than 8 hours in a 24-hour period.
You cannot opt out of this limit, including for overtime.
If you are under 18 - your employer must ensure you do not work during the 'restricted period'. This is between 10pm and 6am (or between 11pm and 7am if your contract allows you to work after 10pm).
You can work until midnight or from 4am onwards if it's necessary in the following types of work: advertising, agriculture, a bakery, catering, a hospital or similar, a hotel, pub or restaurant, post or newspaper delivery or retail.
But this is only if:
It's against the law for you to work between midnight and 4am, even if you do one of the jobs above.8 the night time period is between 11pm and 6am.
As an employee you have a right to a written statement of employment particulars from day 1 of employment.
This will outline the main terms of your employment, such as pay and working hours.
Employment contracts and written statements of employment particulars cannot reduce legal minimum rights, but can enhance them.
Dismissal is where an employer ends an employees contract.
The employer must use a fair and reasonable procedure to decide whether to dismiss someone.
If you have worked for your employer for over 1 month, you have a right to the legal minimum notice period. This is at least:
Apprentices have the same minimum employment rights as other employees, including working hours and rest breaks.
Additionally, apprentices must spend at least 20% of their working hours completing off the job training/education.
By law, you cannot be treated unfairly or discriminated against in the workplace because of:
Reasonable adjustments
Employers are legally required to make reasonable adjustments.
Reasonable adjustments are changes an employer makes to ensure a worker with a disability is not disadvantaged at work.
Sexual harassment in the workplace
Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature.
Employers are legally responsible for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace and must ensure that any complaints of sexual harassment are taken seriously.
Trade unions are organisations of workers that protect and improve people's pay and conditions of employment. Via the union, workers bargain with their employer to improve terms and conditions and support people with issues at work. They also campaign for laws and policies which will benefit working people.
You have a legal right to join a trade union and you are under no obligation to inform your employer of this.
It is illegal for your employer to disadvantage, discriminate against, harass or dismiss you for being a trade union member.
There are lots of benefits to joining a union:
ACAS - provide free and impartial advice to employers, employees and their representatives on employment rights, best practice and policies and resolving workplace conflict.
Citizens Advice - provides free advice and information on various topics including employment rights and ways to solve problems at work.
Government information on employment rights.
Equality Advisory and Support Service - advise and assist individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights.
Health and Safety Executive - provide guidance on health and safety for all workplaces.
Want to hear about our latest resources for union reps?
Sign up now to get it straight to your inbox
To access the admin area, you will need to setup two-factor authentication (TFA).