Overview

The Working Time Directive (Limitation) Bill aims to restrict the application of the EU Working Time Directive and related UK regulations. It seeks to exclude certain groups and situations from the scope of these rules, impacting working time regulations for employees.

Description

This Bill modifies the application of the EU Working Time Directive and the European Working Time Regulations 1998 in the UK. Key changes include:

• Opt-out provision: Employees can opt out of the Directive and Regulations with employer agreement.
• Exemption for specific professions: Doctors and other health professionals are exempted.
• On-call time exclusion: Time spent on-call but not actively working is excluded from working time calculations.
• Exclusion from certain entitlements: The Directive's provisions will not apply to holiday and holiday pay, bonuses, and overtime calculations.
• International work exclusion: Time spent by employees working overseas is excluded.
• Travel time exclusion: Travel to and from, or between, workplaces is excluded.

The Bill will come into effect upon receiving Royal Assent and applies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Government Spending

The bill's impact on government spending is not explicitly stated in the provided text. It's likely to reduce the administrative burden on employers and potentially reduce the number of employment tribunal claims relating to working time regulations. However, quantifiable figures on potential savings are not available.

Groups Affected

The Bill affects numerous groups, impacting them in different ways:

• Employees: Many employees could see changes to their working time calculations, potentially impacting their entitlements, depending on their profession and whether they opt out.
• Employers: Businesses will experience changes in how they manage working time and calculate employee entitlements. The administrative burden may be reduced, but compliance with the modified regulations will remain essential.
• Doctors and health professionals: These professionals are specifically exempted from the Directive and Regulations' working time provisions.
• Employment Tribunals: The number of cases brought before tribunals regarding working time could potentially decrease.

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