If you can, you should try to solve a problem at work by talking to your manager or raising a grievance. If you can't, or you've tried and that hasn't worked, you need to think about whether the problem is something you can take to an employment tribunal. For example, a tribunal can help if you’ve been denied a right you’re entitled to, dismissed or treated unfairly. If you want to make a tribunal claim, you have to complete a form to tell Acas that you intend to make a claim. If you want them to, Acas will try to help you reach an agreement with your employer before you make a tribunal claim....

If you have a problem at work, it’s usually best to start by talking to your employer about it. You might be able to sort out the problem informally. Preparing what you want to say Before you talk to your employer, you should think carefully about what you’re unhappy about and what you want to say. This will help you to remember everything when you meet with them. Gather together anything relating to your complaint - like the date and time of the incident, any conversations you’ve had about it since then and any emails or letters you can find that relate to your problem. This can help you...

Get statutory maternity pay This is the standard kind of maternity pay. It comes from your employer, and there are 3 steps to getting it: tell your employer you’re pregnant confirm your pregnancy with a form or letter from your doctor or midwife - you'll need to do this at least 15 weeks before your due date give your employer at least 28 days’ notice of when you’d like your maternity pay to start You can do most of this at the same time you arrange your maternity leave. You’ll be paid by your employer in the same way you get your usual pay. You can check how much you’ll get in advance. Telling...

You have a right to take up to a year of maternity leave. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve worked for your employer, how much you’re paid or how many hours a week you work. Who can take maternity leave You’re only entitled to maternity leave if you’re an employee. You might be an employee even if your employer or your contract says you’re self-employed. You might not be an employee if for example you work for an agency or you’re not guaranteed to get any work. How to get your maternity leave At least 15 weeks before the week when your baby’s due, tell your employer: that you’re pregnant when...

You can usually take your holiday when you want to but there are some steps you’ll need to follow to arrange it with your employer.  To take your holiday, you’ll need to  check when you can take it give the right amount of notice to your employer - that means giving them enough advance warning of when you want to take your holiday If you’re not sure if you’re entitled to paid holidays Check when you can take your holiday You’ll have to check: when your ‘leave year’ begins and ends - this is the year you have to take your holiday in if your employer has said you have...

You’re entitled to paid holidays if you’re an employee or a worker - including an agency worker. You might be an employee or worker even if your contract says you’re self-employed. You aren't entitled to paid holidays if you run a business and you work for a client. Check how much paid holiday you should have The law says workers should get 5.6 weeks’ holiday each year - this is known as your ‘statutory entitlement’. Your employer might give you more than this but it’s up to them - check your contract.  If your contract gives you more than 5.6 weeks’ holiday, the first 5.6 weeks are your...

You have the right to take time off work in certain circumstances. These are called 'statutory rights'. This time off might be paid leave or unpaid leave. You won’t be paid for any unpaid leave you take. Your employer might let you have more time off on top of your statutory rights. For example, they might give you more paid holiday days. You should check your employment contract to see if you have any extra rights to time off.  You might still have extra rights even if you don’t have a written employment contract. For example: if you agreed this in a conversation with your employer because...

You'll usually have more rights at work than an adult and you might not have to work as many hours. It's a good idea to check your school leaving age on GOV.UK because your rights depend on whether you've reached this age. If you're too young to leave school, check your employment rights and working hours on GOV.UK. If you've left school, or you stayed at school after you could have left, your rights are different. Check the number of hours you should work You shouldn't usually be asked to work more than 40 hours a week or 8 hours a day. Your employer is allowed to ask you to work for...

You’ll probably be entitled to rest breaks during your working day, as well as daily and weekly rest breaks. Most workers are entitled to rest breaks but some jobs mean you don’t have an automatic legal right to breaks. Read more about workers who aren’t entitled to rest breaks at GOV.UK. You might not be paid for your rest breaks - your employment contract will say whether you are. Compensatory rest breaks A compensatory rest break means that you can take the break at a later time. It should be taken within a reasonable time from when you missed the break and should last as long as a specific...