We can help you claim
compensation following an accident
illness or injury - nationwide
Call: 0800 10 757 95
An employee may be entitled to worker's compensation if they suffer from stress-related injury after not receiving breaks and rest periods they are entitled to throughout the working days and weeks, as noted in the Working Time Regulations.
Directgov state that an adult worker should have at least 24 hours uninterrupted rest from work every week, a minimum of 11 hours rest from the end of one working day to the start of another, and a 20 minute break for every 6 hours worked during a day.
Young employees of 15 to 18 years of age should have an uninterrupted 48 hours weekly rest from work, a minimum of 12 hours rest from the end of one working day to the beginning of the next, and 30 minutes break for every 4.5 hours worked during the day.
If any of these official breaks are not given, "equivalent compensatory rest" should be provided for the worker by the employer. However, employees should be aware that there is no law stating that "smoking breaks" must be granted.
Equivalent compensatory rest
In many jobs throughout the UK, normal regulations for entitlement to rest do not apply because of the nature of the career.
If an individual has a job in which they themselves can choose how long they will work, for example, then Working Time Regulations will not apply.
Other careers in which the Working Time Regulations must often be exchanged for equivalent compensatory rest instead, are army and emergency services jobs.
The rights which an individual has to breaks during and in between working hours apply differently if:
Not getting breaks
In jobs not included in those stated above, if an employee is not allowed to take their breaks, or if their job is organised in such a way that taking breaks is made impossible, they should first take the matter up with a manager or an employee representative. If the situation is not resolved, then the worker can make a claim to an Employment Tribunal.
If a lack of breaks has caused the individual to suffer stress-related injury or illness, they may also be able to claim worker's compensation from their employer.
Claiming worker's compensation
If you have suffered a personal injury at work due to an employer not allowing you your statutory breaks, then you could claim compensation with the help of our expert solicitors, who could win you 100% compensation.
Our services won't cost you a penny, and we don't take a cut of your remuneration.
To see if we could take on your worker's compensation claim, then phone us on 0800 10 757 95 to talk with one of our friendly staff, use live help to chat over the internet, or fill in our short online claim form, and an adviser will contact you about your case.
