Some good news at last on the future of the 48-hour opt out?

01/09/2008

By Nick Hobden, Partner and Head of Employment.

Government Minister, John Hutton, has published a short press statement in which he has confirmed that an agreement reached by the EU Employment Council has guaranteed the right for workers to agree to work longer than 48 hours per week, should they choose to do so.

Over recent years, a significant amount of speculation has surrounded the continued existence of the right to opt out of the 48 hour limit. The possibility of the opt out being scrapped or at least severely curtailed has concerned many businesses, and indeed employees who value the flexibility that the right to opt out affords them.

Of course, the devil is in the detail and we will have to see what, if any, concessions have been made in order to retain the right to opt out. We will keep you posted.