ABSTRACT
In Britain the Working Time Regulations (WTR)1998 enable workers to opt out of the maximum 48-hour period if they sign waivers. Employers do not have to keep records of hours worked by each opted-out worker, only a list of their names. The opt-out provisions seem unlikely to be renewed after expiry in November 2003. All workers are also entitled to four weeks’ paid holiday, but there are special rules about how entitlement accrues during the first year of employment. The entitlement is limited during the first year to the amount that has accrued on a month-by-month basis. Calculation is particularly difficult for casual workers whose working patterns fluctuate significantly. Employers commonly enhance the basic hourly rate to cover holiday pay, in effect a prepayment. Workers may then take the appropriate period of time off as unpaid at a later stage.12
