Working hours and rest breaks

Working hours time limits

Check your contract for working hours before you sign it. Current legislation states that you cannot work for more than 48 hours per week.

However, in the film and TV industry, and in many other industries workers can be asked by their Employers to voluntarily sign an ‘opt-out’ of this 48-hour limit (which is legally valid) – i.e. you agree that you can work for more than 48 hours per week.

The opt-out is not a condition of your employment, and it must remain optional and voluntary. Therefore, even if you have signed your contract with an opt-out in place you have the legal right to opt back in to the 48 hour limit at a later date. You have to give your employer a minimum of 7 days written notice by law to do this (check your contract in case it requires a longer timescale to opt back in, as this is allowed).