Probably been asked before but I don’t fully understand the rules and regs regarding standard/reduced weekly rests.
I’m classed as a casual driver for a company so get work as and when it’s there so I don’t have a set shift pattern which makes keeping track that little bit harder. Anyways the question…
I understand that in a fortnight I’m allowed to have either 2 full or 1 full and 1 reduced weekly rest and the payback requirements. My question is, can I work 6 shifts and then take 45 hours off? or does this break some sort of “made up” week that I have fixed in my head. All I can find in the regs is about after 6x24 hour periods.
So could I work…
6 shifts, 45 off - 6 shifts, 24 off - 6 shifts 45 off etc. Assuming I don’t exceed the 56/90 hours driving limit or the 60 hour working limits?
Also something that happens quite often is working one day then not working then working the next day so going by the example below what rest do I count as my last rest…
Mon - work
Tues - off so reduced rest
Wed - work
Thurs - work
Fri - off so reduced rest.
Sat - work
Sun - work
Do I count the Tuesday or the Friday as my rest? Do I have another 6x24 hour periods from the Tuesday or the Friday. To be safe I always count from the Tuesday and the company are happy with this but I’d like to know for sure what is classed as my last rest period, as I have had 2 within one week, both being reduced.
6 shifts, 45 off - 6 shifts, 24 off - 6 shifts 45 off etc. Assuming I don’t exceed the 56/90 hours driving limit or the 60 hour working limits?
,
Mark.
Mark28:
I understand that in a fortnight I’m allowed to have either 2 full or 1 full and 1 reduced weekly rest and the payback requirements. My question is, can I work 6 shifts and then take 45 hours off? or does this break some sort of “made up” week that I have fixed in my head. All I can find in the regs is about after 6x24 hour periods.
You don’t have to fit the 45 into any fixed week or anything so you can legally do 6 shifts and then take 45h off. If a weekly rest starts in one fixed week and ends in the next it can be counted for either week (where a fixed week is defined as 00h00 monday to 24h00 sunday).
Mark28:
So could I work…
6 shifts, 45 off - 6 shifts, 24 off - 6 shifts 45 off etc. Assuming I don’t exceed the 56/90 hours driving limit or the 60 hour working limits?
You can work that but you need to be very careful that you don’t fall foul of the “1 full and 1 reduced rest in any two fixed weeks” rule as it will happen quite quickly with that shift pattern.
mark28:
Also something that happens quite often is working one day then not working then working the next day so going by the example below what rest do I count as my last rest…
Mon - work
Tues - off so reduced rest
Wed - work
Thurs - work
Fri - off so reduced rest.
Sat - work
Sun - work
Do I count the Tuesday or the Friday as my rest? Do I have another 6x24 hour periods from the Tuesday or the Friday. To be safe I always count from the Tuesday and the company are happy with this but I’d like to know for sure what is classed as my last rest period, as I have had 2 within one week, both being reduced.
They can both count as reduced weekly rests and you can work another 6 shifts after the Friday rest as long as all the other rules are complied with.
