As a part-time student worker in the UK, it’s important to understand your employment rights, to ensure that you’re treated fairly and protected against exploitation.
If you’re looking for more information on what protections you may be entitled to, here we outline some of the key rights that are afforded to part-time student workers in the UK.
National minimum wage
Firstly, part-time student workers are entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW). The NMW is set by the government and is designed to provide a minimum hourly rate of pay, to ensure that all workers are remunerated fairly.
The rate of pay that you’re entitled to depends on your age; as of April 2022, the NLW (National Living Wage) for those aged 23 and over is £9.50 per hour; those aged 21-22 are entitled to £9.18 per hour, those between 18-20 are entitled to £6.83, and individuals aged 16-17 are entitled to £4.81.
Paid holiday leave
In addition to the NMW, part-time student workers are also entitled to paid holidays. The amount of paid holiday you are entitled to will depend on the number of hours you work each week, but you will typically be entitled to at least 5.6 weeks of paid leave per year, adjusted pro rata to your part time schedule.
This includes bank holidays, and your employer must provide you with your holiday pay either as part of your normal wages or as a separate payment.
Protection from discrimination & unions
As a part-time student worker, you are also entitled to other benefits that are available to full-time workers, such as protection against discrimination, and the right to join a trade union.
Under the Equality Act 2010, it is illegal for your employer to discriminate against you based on factors such as your age, race, religion, or gender. If you feel that you have been subjected to discrimination, you can make a complaint to an employment tribunal.
Safe working conditions
Another important employment right for part-time student workers is the right to safe working conditions.
Your employer has a legal obligation to provide a safe and healthy working environment, and to protect you from any hazards that may arise in the course of your work. This typically consists of providing you with the necessary training and equipment to do your job safely, and ensuring that any potential hazards are safely managed.
As a part-time student worker in the UK, you’re legally entitled to a variety of employment rights – largely, the same as most other kinds of workers.
These include receiving at least the National Minimum Wage for your age category, protection against discrimination, and the right to safe working conditions.
It’s important to understand your rights as a part-time student worker, so that you can ensure that you’re treated fairly at all times, and protected against exploitation or discriminatory treatment. If you have any concerns about your rights at work, you should seek advice from an employment law expert such as Weightmans Solicitors, to ensure that the situation is rectified and your rights are upheld.
