Young & Disabled Workers

Young workers

A young worker is someone aged between 16 and 18.

Only people over the age of 16 can work, but children are allowed to have jobs such as delivering newspapers below this age.  

Young workers must not work more than eight hours a day and 40 hours a week. 

They are entitled to 12 uninterrupted hours of rest in each 24-hour period and two days off each week.

After working up to four and a half hours, they are entitled to a 30-minute rest break.

Young workers are not normally allowed to work at night. However, in certain industries or sectors and under special circumstances, exceptions can be made.  

Young workers may work between 10pm or 11pm and midnight and between 4am and 6am or 7am in the following sectors:

•    Agriculture
•    Retail
•    Postal or newspaper deliveries
•    Catering
•    Hotels, public houses, restaurants, bars or similar
•    Bakeries

Further guidance can be found on the Department of Trade and Industry website at: www.dti.gov.uk

Disabled workers

The rights of disabled workers are protected by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

The Act says that employers with 15 or more employees may not treat a disabled worker differently to the rest of the workers.

Discrimination cannot be justified if the reason for discrimination can be fixed or helped within the workplace and by the employer. This is any action an employer could take to prevent a negative effect on a disabled worker.

An independent organisation called the Disability Rights Commission works to stop discrimination against disabled people. It provides advice, information and support to disabled people.

Find out more about the Disability Rights Commission: www.drc-gb.org