European Working Time Directive

A European Union mandate introduced in 1998 which is designed to protect the health and safety of workers by restricting the number of hours an individual can work and imposing minimum rest periods. In brief, the EWTD limits the average weekly working time to 48 hours; limits night workers’ average daily working time to 8 hours; requires that employers offer health assessments to night workers; and imposes minimum daily and weekly rest periods and rest breaks at work.

European Working Time Directive, specifics
• ≤ 48 hours work/week (averaged over reference period of 26 weeks).
• Maximum of 13 hours continuous duty on a full-shift rota.
• 11 hours continuous rest in 24 hours.
• 24 hours continuous rest in 7 days.
• Never more than 12 consecutive days on duty (followed by a minimum of 48 hours off duty).
• Minimum of 4 weeks paid annual leave.
• 20-minute break in work periods of over 6 hours.
• For night workers, an average of ≤ 8 hours work in 24 over the reference period.

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References in periodicals archive

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