Work Legislation

Your Right to Study

A law now exists that states that 16-17 year olds, who do not have many qualifications are allowed to take paid time off work to continue with their education and training. For more information click here.

The National Minimum Wage

In 1999 a National Minimum Wage (NMW) was introduced, to ensure that people aged 18 years and over were paid a minimum hourly rate. It now includes rates for 16 & 17 year-olds. For further information, visit the NMW website.

Working Time Regulations

The Working Time Regulations also regulate the number of hours an employee can be expected to work each week, and ensures that there are minimum holiday entitlements for full-time and part-time employees. 16 and 17 year-olds cannot, by law, work more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.