We use some essential cookies to make this website work.
We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.
We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.
You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
Departments, agencies and public bodies
News stories, speeches, letters and notices
Detailed guidance, regulations and rules
Reports, analysis and official statistics
Consultations and strategy
Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
Employment status (worker, employee, self-employed, director or contractor) affects employment rights and employer responsibilities in the workplace
In employment law a person’s employment status helps determine: their…
A person is generally classed as a ‘worker’ if: they have a contract or…
An employee is someone who works under an employment contract. A person…
An employee shareholder is someone who works under an employment contract…
A person is self-employed if they run their business for themselves and…
Company directors run limited companies on behalf of shareholders.…
A person who’s been appointed to a position by a company or organisation…
A court or employment tribunal (known as an industrial tribunal in…
Joining a union and getting recognition for collective bargaining and agreements - legal rules about membership, union reps and your rights
A trade union is an organisation with members who are usually workers or…
You have the right to: choose to join or not join a union decide to leave…
A trade union representative (‘rep’) is a union member who represents and…
When an employer and a union agree to negotiate on pay, terms and…
Workers' rights to rest breaks at work - length of breaks, how your age affects rest breaks, exceptions to the rules for shift workers, young people, and drivers.
Workers over 18 are usually entitled to 3 types of break: rest breaks at…
Employers can say when employees take rest breaks during work time as long…
Workers may be entitled to ‘compensatory rest’ if they do not have the…
Workers are not entitled to the 3 general types of rest break if they work…
Young workers (above school leaving age and under 18) are usually entitled…
Workers who cannot take or are not allowed rest breaks should speak to…
Employers might monitor workers, but if the monitoring involves taking data, images or drug testing they have to do this in a way that's legal and fair
Includes industrial action and recognising trade unions
Industrial Workers of the World trade union: annual returns, rules, statement to members, decisions and other related documents.
Minimum wage rates for different types of paid employment - time work, output work, unmeasured work, salaried hours work.
Who's entitled to the minimum wage, what's included when working out the minimum wage, and what happens if there's a dispute.
The rights of agricultural and farm workers - including pay rates, agricultural minimum wage, overtime, holiday leave, rest breaks, help and advice
Find out about agricultural workers' pay and working conditions, labour laws, and health and safety laws.
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab and requires JavaScript).