Archive for July, 2010

Calculating Average Working Hours

Calculating average working hours is very simple, as this post will make clear.

Average Working Hours Per Week

To discover the average number of hours you work in a week, divide the number of hours you have worked over a period of time by the number of weeks in that period (excluding rest days). For most adult workers, this period should be 17 weeks and the average number of working hours in a week should not exceed 48.

Average Working Hours Per Day

To discover the average number of hours you work in a day, divide the number of hours you have worked over a set period of time by the number of days you were required to work during that that period. As a night worker, this period should be 119 days (17 weeks) and the average number of working hours in a day should not exceed 8.

Working Hours within Shift Cycles

To discover your average working hours from shift cycles requires a little more effort.

To start with, divide the number of days in a period of time by the total number of days in your shift cycle to discover how many cycles you have worked in that period. Then multiply the number of hours you work in a cycle by the number of cycles you have worked and add any overtime – this will be the total number of hours you have worked in the period of time.

Subtract the number of rest days to which you are entitled from the total number of days in the period and, finally, divide the number of hours you have worked by the number of days you have been required to work. The resulting number is the average number of hours worked in a day which, for night workers, should not exceed 8.




Night Working Rights

Nights workers have various different rights to day workers, including the right to regular free health assessments, due to the health risks associated with working at night. This includes mobile workers and road transport workers, who are otherwise exempt from night working limits. Should a doctor diagnose night-work-related health problems in an employee, their employer must transfer them to daytime work where possible.
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Night Workers

Night workers are those who work for at least three hours during the night on regular days, most working days or an proportion of days agreed with their employer and trade union. Within employment law, night must be at least seven hours long, including the period between 00:00 and 05:00. Normally this is defined as the period between 23:00 and 06:00, though employees and employers can agree to change this period.
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Anniversary!

One year ago today, I launched the Online Solicitor and, to celebrate, I’m going to take the day off!

Instead of writing, I’m also going to post this picture; it wouldn’t take me the full 1000 words to make the same point, but it would take a fair few.

I do not own this picture. I found it here: www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/12/the_woes_of_web.html




Working Hour Limits

Most adult workers cannot be forced to work for longer than 48 hours per week and young workers (under 18) should not work longer than 40 hours a week. However, there are still some workers to whom this working time limit does not apply, including the armed forces, sea transport workers, domestic servants and workers who freely choose how long they work.
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