There are no rules in the UK specific to four-day working weeks. There are, however, many regulations that can impact on the shift patterns of staff and the gaps between them.
Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, employees have the right to a rest period of 11 uninterrupted hours each day. On top of this, they must have 24 uninterrupted hours’ rest and cannot work over 48 hours in a week. Keeping compliance with these rules can present a massive headache to schedules and put even more pressure on managers.
The Working Time Regulations also entitle employees to an uninterrupted break of 20 minutes when they work over six hours. Many businesses will increase this to either half an hour or a full hour. There may also be other breaks at the employer’s discretion. These will need to be factored into any 4-day working schedule created by a company.