In the UK both employees and workers are entitled to a written statement of employment particulars from their first day, covering essentials such as pay, hours, holiday entitlement, place of work, notice periods, sick pay and any probation, with some details allowed in supplementary documents. Employment status is the key question that decides which rights apply: employees get the fullest set of protections, workers get core rights such as the minimum wage, holiday pay and rest breaks, and the genuinely self-employed get very few.
Agency staff, casual banqueting crews and gig-style arrangements complicate the picture, and courts and tribunals look at the reality of the relationship, such as control, obligation to accept work and personal service, rather than the label on the contract. Unfair dismissal protection has historically depended on a qualifying period of service, and the Employment Rights Act 2025 is changing that and many other rights in stages, so always check the current rules before relying on old assumptions.
What we ask on the show
- Did you get a proper written statement in your first hospitality job?
- How do you explain employment status to casual staff?
- What contract terms cause the most disputes in the trade?
- How are you preparing for the changes in the Employment Rights Act?