Maxiumum legal working hours

tunney

What is the legal maximum that can be specified in the contract for a permanent full time position? I had thought 39 hours but I cannot find any documentation or links to back this up.

hunnymonster

I thought it was 48, working time directive and all that. It's definitely more than 39. Fiancé works average 42 (with 60 some weeks)

tunney

hunnymonster wrote: »

I thought it was 48, working time directive and all that. It's definitely more than 39. Fiancé works average 42 (with 60 some weeks)

Thats the maximum average for a certain period of time, in that you can work 48 hours a week that is not the amount contracted to.

hunnymonster

Himself is contracted to 42 so it's definitely more than 39, unless emergency services get an exemption from the rules.

tunney

Not sure - thought there were excepmtions for certain industries.

newbie2

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/employment/employment-rights-and-conditions/hours-of-work/working_week

The Organisation and Working Time Act 1997 states that the maximum average working week for many employees cannot exceed 48 hours. This does not mean that a working week can never exceed 48 hours, it is the average that is important. The average may be calculated in one of the following ways:

• Over 4 months for most employees
• Over 6 months for employees working in the security industry, hospitals, prisons, gas/electricity, airport/docks, agriculture and employees in businesses which have peak periods at certain times of the year such as tourism.
• over 12 months where there has been an agreement between the employer and the employees to this effect. The agreement between employer and employees must be approved by the Labour Court.

The calculation of 48 hours does not include annual leave, sick leave or maternity/adoptive/parental leave.

newbie2

So to answer your question - 48 hours

rightwingdub

I've a friend who works as a supermarket manager and he frequently works over 48 hours per week, normally between 55-60 hours per week.

kravmaga

a retail manager can be expected to put in 60hrs per week, that is not surprising for retail

wmpdd3

True but I haven't heard of any contract including a opt out of the working time directive. In other companies working time and records were audited but not in supermarkets it seams.

OP my contract is 45 hours per week.

connundrum

rightwingdub wrote: »

I've a friend who works as a supermarket manager and he frequently works over 48 hours per week, normally between 55-60 hours per week.

This is the same in nearly all management positions I've heard of/been involved in i.e. you get contracted for 39, 40, 42 hours per week - but you end up doing well over that in order to get the job done.

Its one of the joys of middle management. No one I know (in management) would kick up about not getting paid overtime for the extra hours, as it is literally seen as being part of the job.

I'm contacted to 40p/w, usually work 50-55, have often worked 60+. According to any official records, I've only ever worked a 40 hour week though.

I'm not complaining though, I'd rather be working than not.

wmpdd3

I never had to record my hours as a manager anywhere else but I clock in my current job so according to official records I normally do 50-60 hrs per week.

Dempo1

Hospitality, Retail and Security Industries have certain exemptions from the legal 39 hrs per week but it can not legally exceed 48 hrs per week. Realistically this is not always practical and i know many hospitality employees work way beyond 48 hrs per week. In the current climate i doubt anyone who has a job would object and more likely thankful of a Job.

Union Advisor

Hi Lads,

the maximum working time allowed under law is covered by the Organisation of working time act 1997. this states that the average amount of time worked should not exceed 48 hours per week over a period of 13 weeks. thus you could be asked more than 48 hours some weeks but less than this amount on other weeks. once the avearge is 48 hours or less.