Shift Worker Employment Contract

Some organisations and businesses by their very nature require the use of shift workers.

Shift work is an employment practice designed to make use of, or provide service 24/7. The term "shift work" includes both long-term night shifts and work schedules in which employees change or rotate shifts. Continuous shift systems provide cover for 24 hours, seven days a week. Non-continuous or discontinuous shift systems provide cover for less than the total hours available in a week, for example five 24 hour periods in seven days, or 12 hours out of 24.

This Shift Worker Employment Contract template shall be used where an employee may be required to undertake shift-working arrangements on either a fixed or occasional shift basis in order to meet the requirements of the job or client. In other words, the parties agree that the employee is being employed to perform duties in accordance with the shift work arrangement of the employer.

Please note that is a requirement under the Employment Rights Act 1996 for employers to provide their employees with a written statement of their main terms and conditions of employment. This must be provided within 8 weeks starting from the commencement of employment. This requirement also applies to shift workers. Thus, employers are legally obliged to provide their shift workers with a Shift Worker Employment Contract. 

This Shift Worker Employment Contract is fully comprehensive and contains all the main terms and conditions required under the Employment Rights Act 1996. Also, it can be tailored to suit your organisation’s particular needs as it allows for flexibility and alteration of shift work patterns.

N.B. The Working Time Regulations 1998 govern the hours people can work and prescribe special health provisions for night workers. The Regulations require an employer to ensure that employees will have the opportunity of a free health assessment before they take up night work or the employees had a valid health assessment and shall ensure that night workers have the opportunity of a free health assessment at appropriate regular intervals.

This Shift Worker Employment Contract contains the following clauses/provisions:

1. Commencement
2. Job Title and Description
3. Place of Work
4. Hours of Work
5. Remuneration
6. Holidays
7. Absence and Sick Pay
8. Notice
9. Disciplinary and Grievance Procedure
10. Maternity and Paternity Leave
11. Additional Policies
12. Pension Scheme
13. Collective Agreements
14. Changes to Your Terms of Employment
15. Confidentiality
16. Alcohol and Drugs
17. Property
18. Anti-bribery
19. Third Party Rights
20. Personal Information
21. Governing Law

This Shift Worker Employment Contract is in Microsoft Word format, written in plain English, easy to use and edit.