Rules, Regs & Rights

48-hour week: The collapse of talks around the 48-hour working week sees the end of the European Parliament's proposal to phase out the opt-out in three years.  The UK Government and a number of other EU Member States had strenuously opposed the proposal to abolish it.  What this means is that the UK's opt-out from the 48-hour maximum working week set out in the Working Time Directive will now remain in place.  Employees will now be able to continue to work more than 48 hours a week on average if they choose to do so by signing an opt-out agreement.

Minimum wage: The Government has confirmed that, from October 1st 2009, the adult minimum wage will increase from £5.73 to £5.80 an hour.  Meanwhile, the Youth Development Rate will climb from £4.77 to £4.83 an hour and the minimum wage for 16-17 year olds will be upped to £3.57, from £3.53.

Road risk management: Employees who fail to comply with their employer's best practice approach to occupational road risk management could find themselves in court, says a legal expert.  Many companies have met with employee protests when asking for personal information and vehicle data, particularly in relation to privately-owned vehicle driven on business, when introducing at-work driving safety measures.

However, employees who continue to evade their employer's safe driving policies and procedures could find themselves charged under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act if they are involved in a crash.

Section seven of the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act says that all employees have a duty while at work to:

• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work
• Co-operate with their employer or any other person, so far as is necessary, to enable their employer or other person to perform or comply with any requirement or duty imposed under a relevant statutory provision

Whole vehicle type approval: Vehicle makers must ensure that their vehicles meet a series of construction and performance standards.  Now, they will need to show that each vehicle coming off the production line meets those same approval standards.  All firms that make, import or sell new vehicles will need to get approval certification for their products.  No approval - no registration - no sale.

26/8/09