Part Time Work Entitlements

zonEEE

Hello all,

Just want to get a few things straight, ive been working in a shop for the past few years and have been on 7.50 a hour from last year.(im 17) The shop has been taken over and things have changed a bit. Before i was only working 4 hour shifts on a sunday during school and would of worked maybe 4-5 days a week during the summer but still would have only been 4-5 hour shifts. Im now working slightly more hours 6-7 hour shifts at the weekends which i dont mind but we don't get any brakes. The last boss was dead on and we got on really well and work was really enjoyable, didn't really get any formal brakes but could go for a smoke any time i wanted and he also would let me take a drink or what ever for free any time i was working. The new setup is a lot more formal. Basicly am i entitled to brakes when working 5 6 or 7 hours? Am i entitled to time and a half on weekends or Sundays?(and bank holidays). Like before i didn't mind about all this stuff as the working environment was well enjoyable, and i never felt hard done by. Just now that im in more of a formal scene i want to get my rights sorted.

Thanks !

dade

you are entitled to a break for every 4.5 hours worked.

the work time act stipulates:

Rests and intervals at work.
12.—(1) An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 4
hours and 30 minutes without allowing him or her a break of at least 15 minutes.
(2) An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 6
hours without allowing him or her a break of at least 30 minutes; such a break may include
the break referred to in subsection (1).
(3) The Minister may by regulations provide, as respects a specified class or classes
of employee, that the minimum duration of the break to be allowed to such an employee
under subsection (2) shall be more than 30 minutes (but not more than 1 hour).
(4) A break allowed to an employee at the end of the working day shall not be
regarded as satisfying the requirement contained in subsection (1) or (2).

can't see anything that differentiates between full and part time workers, but there may be something.

dade

OP pop an eye over here and have a look http://www.employmentrights.ie/en/informationforemployers/workinghours/

Corruptedmorals

Since you're under 18, the break entitlement is for every 4 hours worked, not every 4.5. The 4.5 entitlement for over 18's is 15 minutes, I don't know what the under 18's is. My company enforce the legal breaks and lunches, ever so slightly more generous though. Under 18's 4 hours worked- half an hour break. over 18's- 4.5 hours worked- 20 mins break. 6 hours worked but less than 6-5- half an hour break. 6.5 hours worked- hour lunch. 8.5 hours worked- hour lunch and a tea break of 20 minutes. 9.5 hours worked- hour lunch and a 30 minute tea break. So it's something along these lines, but at under 18 you should be getting at least an hour lunch for a 7 hour shift and at least half an hour for 6 hours. 5 should be getting you 20 minutes at least. It's the exact same for part-timers and full-timers.

It might be difficult to bring this up though. Are you under probation? Is there anyone higher up- regional manager etc?

I think the Sunday/bank holiday pay entitlement is a bit more complicated. I'm pretty sure the act in question says that you're entitled to premium pay, which has to be more than your standard pay, but it doesn't say how much over. For this reason, several companies pay time and a third, such as Arcadia. Time and a half is paid by all department stores, whereas the only place I've heard of double is Brown Thomas. I have heard of time and a tenth being paid!