Rest periods

The Working Time Directive has established that a worker should have an uninterrupted rest period of at least 24 hours in each seven day period. It is possible to substitute a rest period of 48 hours in a fortnight for this provision.

This has implications for boarding schools where house staff are expected to be on duty at weekends. Unlike the general restriction on total hours worked it cannot be spread over terms and holidays.

If a member of staff is at the place of work 'on call', it cannot be considered an uninterrupted rest period.