All people at work, including agency workers, enjoy these rights from their first day of work:
- the right to be paid the National Minimum Wage;
- working time rights (including breaks, paid holidays and a limit on the working week);
- health and safety protection;
- the right to join a union;
- data protection rights (see the Information Commissioner's Office website);
- the right to be accompanied at a discipline or grievance meeting
- protection from unlawful discrimination; and
- the right not to be victimised for ‘blowing the whistle’ or for engaging in lawful trade union activity.
All workers, not just employees, must be given an itemised payslip by the first pay date. The payslip must show gross wages, variable pay (for example, commission), any deductions and net wages.
Where wages vary depending on the number of hours worked (for example, ‘zero hours’ contracting), the payslip must also show the number of hours for which you are being paid.
