Working Time and Leave
The Employment Rights Standard limits the hours that the staff of member organisations may be required to work, guarantees minimum periods of rest and sets the leave to which staff are entitled. The limits and entitlements below apply from 6 September 2026 to every member of staff employed within the Velocity Interoperability Network. A contract of employment may provide more; it may not provide less.
Working time. Working time is any period during which a member of staff is at the disposal of the employer and carrying out their duties, including time on call at or near the workplace and time spent on required training. Travel between home and the normal place of work is not working time.
| Limit | Entitlement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum working week | 48 hours | Averaged over 17 weeks; may be exceeded only by written agreement of the member of staff |
| Daily rest | 11 consecutive hours | In every period of 24 hours |
| Weekly rest | 24 consecutive hours | In every period of seven days, or 48 consecutive hours in every fourteen |
| Rest break | 30 minutes | Where the working day exceeds six hours; taken away from the workstation |
| Night work | 8 hours | Average in any period of 24 hours for staff who regularly work between 23:00 and 06:00 |
| Staff under 18 | 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week | No night work; daily rest of 12 consecutive hours |
| On-call time | Counts as working time | Where the member of staff is required to remain at or near the workplace |
Where the nature of the work makes it impossible to take daily or weekly rest at the proper time, for instance during an emergency or a continuous process, the employer must give equivalent compensatory rest as soon as possible afterwards and record the reason. The rest entitlements cannot be set aside by agreement; only the 48-hour average may be exceeded, and only by the written agreement of the member of staff, which may be withdrawn on four weeks' notice.
Leave. The leave year runs from the date on which a member of staff starts work unless the written statement of terms fixes a different leave year. Untaken annual leave of up to five days may be carried into the following leave year; leave that could not be taken because of sickness or parental leave is carried over in full.
| Leave | Entitlement | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Annual leave | 25 days | Paid at the normal rate; accrues from the first day of employment; in addition to designated Network holidays |
| Designated Network holidays | As designated for each year | Paid; a member of staff required to work on a holiday receives a day's leave in lieu |
| Sick leave | 8 weeks at full pay, then 8 weeks at half pay | In any period of twelve months; a medical certificate is required after seven consecutive days |
| Parental leave | 26 weeks | First twelve weeks paid at the normal rate; the member of staff returns to the same post |
| Compassionate leave | 5 days | Paid; on the death or serious illness of a close relative |
| Leave for required training | As required | Paid; where the employer or the Department requires the training |
| Leave for civic duty | As required | Unpaid unless the employer agrees otherwise; the post is held open |
Records employers must keep. Employers must keep the records below and produce them to an inspector on request. A member of staff may ask to see the records that relate to them and must be shown them within ten working days.
- A record of hours worked
- For every member of staff, the hours worked on each day, including on-call time and overtime, kept for two years.
- A record of rest
- Evidence that daily and weekly rest and rest breaks were taken, or the reason they were not and the compensatory rest given.
- Written agreements to exceed 48 hours
- Every agreement to work more than an average of 48 hours a week, with its date and any notice of withdrawal.
- A leave record
- Leave accrued, taken and remaining for each member of staff in each leave year, and the pay received during leave.
- A register of night workers and staff under 18
- The staff to whom the stricter limits apply and the health assessments offered to night workers.
The other rights conferred by the Standard are set out on the Employment Rights page. A member of staff who is required to work beyond these limits, or refused leave to which they are entitled, should raise the matter with their employer in writing and may then refer it to the Dispute Resolution Service. Enquiries may be sent to contact@labour.gov.vin.