Nearly everyone gets a bit nervous before they start a new job. It always takes a little time to learn a new job and to find out where everything is. Most people know what it’s like and will help you find your way around the workplace. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and let people know if you don't understand their instructions. It’s best to have things clear in your mind rather than making mistakes.

Employment Contract

All employees are entitled to a written contract of employment stating their terms and conditions of employment (holidays and pay, notice to be served, hours to be worked in a week). You should be given this within two months of starting a job. Keep all letters or papers an employer gives you. Even if you don’t get anything in writing, you still have rights as an employee.

Always check what is written in a contract before signing. It can be difficult, but always ask to take your contract away to look at it - e.g. if you are asked to sign at an interview. Make sure that you are getting a good and fair deal.

You can get an employment expert to check it over by taking it to your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). To find where you nearest office is, check the Citizens Advice Bureau website.

Money, Money, Money . . .

It is important that you get paid the amount agreed at your interview or in your contract of employment. When you start work, you should give your employer your National Insurance number and your P45 (if you’ve had an employer before).

It is not unusual to have ‘lying time’. This means you will not get paid until the end of your second week or have a proportion of your pay held back if you are paid monthly. This money is held by the employer as security in case you leave without working notice. It will be paid to you at the end of your time with that employer.

You are legally entitled to an itemised payslip which shows the breakdown of your gross pay (the total amount of pay before everything gets taken off), the tax you pay, your National Insurance contributions, deductions for a pension and/or union, and finally your net pay (the amount you are left with).

If you are paid hourly, make sure you are paid for the number of hours you work. It’s worth keeping a note of all the time you’ve worked in a week if you get paid per hour, that way you can accurately check if you’ve been paid the correct amount of hours.

Tax

You can earn a certain amount of money before the government taxes you.

Get further information about tax allowances from any Tax Office, visit the HM Revenue and Customs website , or go to your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau.

National Insurance

If you earn over a certain income threshold you have to pay National Insurance, which comes off your pay at the same time as income tax. Both of these deductions go towards paying for things like education, benefits and the NHS. If you are unsure about the contributions you make in income tax, consult the leaflet ‘P3(T) PAYE Understanding Your Tax Code’. This is available from your local HM Revenue and Customs Office, or on the HM Revenue and Customs website.

The National Minimum Wage

An employer must pay their workers a minimum amount as defined by law. This is called the National Minimum wage.

This came into force in April 1999 and as of 1st October 2014 the rates are:

• £6.31 if you're 21 or over
• £5.13 if you're 18-20 – this stays the same as before
• £3.79 if you're 16-17 – this stays the same as before
• £2.73 if you're an apprentice under 19, or in the first year of your apprenticeship.

If you're not sure if you're being paid the right amount, or need further advice about the National Minimum Wage, you can contact Pay and Works Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368.

• There’s a National Minimum Wage Helpline on 0845 6000 678 (local rates apply) or ask a Citizens Advice Bureau.
  
  You’ll find your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau by calling Citizens Advice Direct on 0844 848 9600 and asking for details of your local CAB. This information line is open until 8pm.
  
  The government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills can answer your questions and advise you what to do if your employer isn’t paying you what is rightfully yours.
  
  Scottish Low Pay Unit provides free, confidential information and support to low paid workers in Scotland. Go to the SLPU website for more information.

Holiday Pay

Unless your employment contract says otherwise, you are entitled to four weeks paid holiday leave (note: a week’s leave is equal to a working week, i.e. if you work a three day week you are entitled to 12 days leave). Check your contract. Even if you have no written contract, if you’ve been with your employer for 13 continuous weeks or more, you are usually entitled to holiday pay. It is your responsibility to inform the employer when you want time off.

If you leave your employer and haven’t taken all your holidays in the leave year before you finish, you may be entitled to some outstanding holiday pay. (Note: no employee has a statutory right to paid public and bank holidays).

If you have problems with this contact a Citizens Advice Bureau. Or you can contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) (Mon to Fri 8am - 6pm) on their national helpline 0845 47 47 47, or visit the ACAS website. Their address is: 151 West George Street, Glasgow G2 2JJ or you can call 0141 248 1400. They can help with any employment law questions.

Working Time Regulations

These regulations cover many aspects of employment, but are particularly significant in relation to the length of time you are legally permitted to work in any one day. You are entitled to:

• 1 day off a week (2 days if you are between 16 and 18, not to be averaged over a 2 week period).

• 11 hours (12 hours if you are between 16 and 18) of uninterrupted rest between shifts in any 24 hour period. This can be interrupted if periods of work are spread out over the day, or are not for long periods. If this is the case, you should be compensated with rest periods within three weeks.

• A rest break of 30 minutes after working for six and a half hours (four and a half if you are between 16 and 18) at a stretch (but your employer isn’t obliged to pay you for this break).