• full-time and part-time contracts.
• fixed-term contracts.
• agency staff.
• freelancers, consultants, contractors.
• zero-hours contracts.

Probationary Period – typically the first 3 months so that the employer can evaluate the suitability of the employee for the position.

Employee can’t work more than 48 hours a week on average — normally averaged over 17 weeks. This law is sometimes called the ‘working time directive’ or ‘working time regulations.

If the workers work more than 6 hours a day, they have the right to one uninterrupted 20-minute rest break during their working day.

Overtime is always contractual. If there’s no such arrangement, employees can’t be forced to work overtime. Employee employment contracts usually clarify overtime pay rates and how they get worked out. Employee may have to work more than 48 hours a week on average when:

• where 24-hour staffing is required
• in the armed forces, emergency services or police
• in security and surveillance
• as a domestic servant in a private household
• as a seafarer, sea-fisherman, or worker on vessels on inland waterways
• where working time is not measured.

• Pension: At least 3% of this must be paid by the employer. The basic State Pension is £141.85 per week and the full rate of new State Pension £185.15. Employer must automatically enroll an employee into a pension scheme and make contributions to pension if all the following apply:
• classed as a ‘worker’
• aged between 22 and State Pension age
• earn at least £10,000 per year
• usually (‘ordinarily’) work in the UK.
• Healthcare insurance: the National health service (NHS) is the government-funded healthcare system that everyone living in the UK can use without being asked to pay the full cost of the service. This includes
• visiting a doctor for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment
• treatment at a hospital if you are unwell or injured
• getting emergency help from healthcare professionals working in the ambulance services in case of serious or life-threatening injuries or health problems.
• Paid annual leave: minimum of 28 days.
• Paid maternal leave: all together 52 weeks, fully paid for 39 weeks.
• Paid sick leave.

• Additional health insurance: The average cost of private health insurance in the UK is just less than £1500 per year. The treatments are much quicker than with NHS and the patient get to choose the hospital and doctors. It doesn’t usually cover chronic or long-term conditions such as diabetes and many cancers and it’s expensive when covering the whole family.
• Life insurance: Establishing proper trust is crucial, otherwise significant tax costs will be charged. Depending on the type of scheme chosen and trust, employers will be required to register the HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) scheme either at the beginning or in the case of registration.
• Dental insurance: this benefit is easy to set up in the UK and the minimum criteria is normally two employees. It can be paid by employer or by employee. Typical price range varies from £10 to £50 per member depending on the level of service coverage.
• Critical illness insurance: lump sum payment on diagnosis of a specific condition, such as cancer, heart attack or strokes.
• Retirement benefit: it is covered by employer and the implementation of retirement plans typically take between 1 and 3 months and it must be prepared from day one of employment.

• Tuition assistance
• Childcare reimbursement: A government is supporting tax efficient childcare scheme.
• Meal reimbursement: mostly implemented with larger companies. Food is available at a discounted rate, this may include breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Company cars: this benefit is usually provided for higher-ranked staff in the company, but it is not as popular as previous years due to high government taxation.
• Gym membership: offered to employees with lower corporate rates.

Most workers who work a 5-day week must receive at least 28 days paid annual leave a year. This is the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday.

Although employees do not have a statutory entitlement to paid leave for bank and public holidays, most employment contracts provide for this.

Weeks of statutory redundancy pay someone is entitled to depends on all the following:

• the employee’s age
• how long they’ve worked for you (up to the last 20 years).

Redundancy pay is calculated by weekly pay (capped at £544). The maximum amount of statutory redundancy pay is £16,320.

Employees get:

• 5 weeks’ pay for each full year of employment after their 41st birthday
• a week’s pay for each full year of employment after their 22nd birthday
• half a week’s pay for each full year of employment up to their 22nd birthday

Employees dismissed for a reason other than redundancy are not entitled to receive a statutory payment.