New demands for barstaff breaks

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Barstaff will be banned from working more than six hours without a break after Europe's highest court said current guidelines did not comply with...

Barstaff will be banned from working more than six hours without a break after Europe's highest court said current guidelines did not comply with European law.

The European Court of Justice has ordered all employers in the UK to ensure that staff members take a break of at least 20 minutes for every six hours worked. Employees must also have at least 11 hours off between working days, and a minimum of one day off per week.

Existing Department of Trade & Industry guidelines said that, while employers must make sure their workers could take their rest periods, they were not obliged to force them to do so.

Licensees who fail to implement the new laws face being taken to an employment tribunal.

Nigel Jones of the Railway Hotel in Blandford Forum, Dorset which has a 24-hour licence, questioned how the law would work in practice. "This is realistic, but only as long as employers themselves don't take a break," he said. "We will end up having to do the covering to make sure our staff comply with the guidelines. Also, would the fact that someone hasn't served a customer for 20 minutes count as a break?"

The British Beer & Pub Association said it had already been advising members to ensure staff took 20 minute breaks every six hours.

For further advice on employment law visit www.businesslink.gov.uk

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