CHAPTER 14

Workplace Rights and Responsibilities

  • There are many laws that tell UK employers how they must treat their staff. Your rights are things that you are allowed to have or to do by law.

    Responsibilities are duties that employers must carry out to look after their staff.

  • Understanding your rights in the workplace is important so that you can make sure you are being paid and treated fairly. It is also useful to understand what you can do if you are being treated unfairly or if your employer is breaking the law.

  • Your rights depend on what type of work you are doing. The three types are employee, worker, or self-employed. The tables below show the current minimum wages for different age ranges, as well as the different rights that you can have.

    The current minimum wages per hour.
    The rates from April 2025:
    Age 21 and over - £12.21
    Age 18–20 - £10
    Under 18 - £7.55
    Apprentice - £7.55

    The rates from April 2026:
    Age 23 and over - £9.50
    Age 21–22 - £9.18
    Age 18–20 - £6.83
    Under 18 - £4.81
    Apprentice - £4.81

  • If you think your employer is treating you or anybody else unfairly, you should speak to the Human Resources (HR) department at the company about your concerns. If there is not an HR department, you can speak to your Employment Adviser to get their advice. You are allowed to make a formal complaint, and you will be legally protected from any discrimination.

    An organisation called ACAS can also help you understand what options you have.

  • Some basic things are expected of all employees from the beginning. Some of these are listed below.

    • Arrive on time; if you can’t avoid being late, make sure you let your manager know

    • Stick to the Code of Conduct

    • Comply with Health and Safety regulations

    • Let your manager know if you are sick

    • If you want to take time off, agree this with your manager in advance

    • Dress appropriately for your work

    • Respect your colleagues and your manager

    • Have a positive attitude

    • Perform your work to your highest ability

    Your “express” responsibilities are included in your contract. These include your working hours and your job role. “Implied” responsibilities are not included in your contract but are things that will be expected of you anyway, for example not stealing or harming your colleagues.

  • Some jobs where you work with young or vulnerable people will require you to get a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.

    This is a criminal record check to make sure you have not committed any crimes in the past.

    If you do need to get a DBS check, your Employment Adviser can help you apply for one. It can cost between £23 and £40, but this will usually be paid for by the employer. Sometimes it takes a long time for a DBS check to be processed

  • In the UK, it is illegal to discriminate against somebody on the basis of their gender. This is known as gender equality.

    Gender equality means treating everybody the same, regardless of gender, and ensuring everyone has access to the same opportunities.

    Women are also entitled to equal pay and have the right not to be harassed in the workplace.

    The current employment rate for men is nearly 79%, while for women it is nearly 72%.

    It is also normal for women to hold leadership and management roles in the UK.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
You have the right to… Employee (also includes workers who have worked for the same company for 26+ weeks) Worker Self-employed
Be paid at least the national minimum wage Yes Yes No
Be treated the same if you are working part-time Yes Yes No
Be able to have time off for emergencies Yes Yes No
Have a certain number of paid holiday days per year Yes Yes No
Be paid for any additional hours you work over your agreed contractual amount Yes Yes No
Have a break of at least 20 minutes if you work for six hours or more Yes Yes No
Get a payslip which shows how much you have been paid and how much tax has been deducted Yes Yes No
age, gender, disability, sexuality, race, religion or belief, pregnancy, marriage, or civil partnership status Yes Yes Yes
Not work more than 48 hours per week without prior agreement Yes Yes No
Receive statutory sick pay Yes Yes No (but may be able to claim additional benefits (ESA) from DWP. Can also take out income protection insurance.
Take parental leave Yes No No
Receive parental allowance Depends on circumstances No Can claim Maternity Allowance if self-employed for at least 26 weeks of 66 weeks leading up to birth. Must earn at least £30 per week.
A safe working environment Yes Yes Yes
Basic facilities such as a clean working space, access to drinking water and toilets Yes Yes No
A contract which states your terms and conditions for working Yes Yes No
Training on how to do your job safely, so you are not a danger to yourself or others Yes Yes No
Have requests for flexible working considered Yes Yes No
A pension Yes Yes, if between 22 and 65 years old and earning more than £192 per week Yes, if necessary National Insurance payments have been made
Redundancy pay Yes, if you have worked for your employer for over two years No No
Equal opportunities Yes Yes, after working at the same place for 12 weeks No
Not have unfair deductions from pay Yes Yes No
Not be unfairly dismissed Yes No No
Access to welfare benefits Yes Yes Yes
Provided with prayer room or extended prayer breaks No No N

  • Tax is money that is taken from your earnings by the government when you receive your pay. It is used to pay for public services such as the NHS, schools, and welfare benefits.

    The two main types of tax in the UK are Income Tax and National Insurance.

  • If you are an employee, you will pay tax automatically on your earnings through Pay as You Earn (PAYE).

    If you are self-employed, you will need to complete your own tax returns.

  • The amount of tax you pay depends on how much you earn. The more you earn, the more you will pay.

    You can use a tax calculator to work out how much you will pay. Your pay slip will also show you how much tax you are paying. An example pay slip with the various taxes is shown on the next page.

  • A tax code indicates how much tax you pay.

    Personal allowance
    No tax paid up to £12,570

    Basic rate
    20% on income between £12,571 to £50,270

    Highest rate
    40% on income between £50,271 to £125,140

    Additional rate
    45% on income over £125,140

  • It is illegal not to pay tax if you are required to do so. If you don’t pay tax, you can be prosecuted.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Additional resources

Glossary

Code of Conduct
a policy that outlines principles and standards that all employees of the company must follow

Income tax
a type of tax that governments impose on income generated by businesses and individuals

PAYE
Pay as you earn. A system of paying income tax in which your employer pays your tax directly to the government, and then deducts this amount from your salary

National Insurance payments
the system of compulsory payments (similar to tax) by employees and employers to provide state support for people who are sick, unemployed, or retired

More information

Explore “Gov tax calculator”
Explore “ACAS”

Find out more