Starting your first graduate job involves more than understanding your responsibilities and salary. You should also know what your employer must provide, which workplace rules apply and what to do if something appears wrong. UK employment rights protect people at work in areas such as pay, holiday, working hours, discrimination and workplace safety. Some apply as soon as you start, while others depend on your employment status, earnings or length of service.
Your contract and company policies may also give you more generous benefits than the legal minimum. Understanding the difference between statutory rights, contractual terms and workplace policies can help you recognise what you are entitled to and raise concerns confidently.
Disclaimer: Employment law changes over time, and some rules differ between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This guide provides an overview, but you should always check current official guidance when dealing with a specific issue.
Knowing your rights is an important part of starting work with confidence. Explore our Graduate Employment and Working Life guide for wider advice.
Knowing your rights is an important part of starting work with confidence. Explore our Graduate Employment and Working Life guide for wider advice.
What are employment rights?
Employment rights are legal protections that set minimum standards for people at work. They cover matters such as pay, holiday, working hours, discrimination, family leave, sick pay, workplace safety and pensions. An employer cannot normally use a contract to give you less than the statutory minimum. For example, it cannot lawfully pay you less than the minimum wage rate that applies to your age and circumstances. However, an employer can offer better terms. Your contract might provide more annual leave, enhanced sick pay, a shorter working week or higher pension contributions than the law requires. Employment law and statutory rates can change. For the latest information on pay, contracts, holiday, working hours, pensions and other workplace rights, visit the GOV.UK Working, jobs and pensions guidance.
Understand your employment status
The rights that apply to you will depend partly on whether you are legally classed as an employee, a worker or self-employed. The label used by the organisation is not always decisive, as the real working arrangement may determine your status. Each category carries different rights and responsibilities.
Employee
Employees usually receive the widest range of protections. Alongside basic rights such as minimum wage and paid holiday, they may qualify for notice, family leave, flexible working, redundancy protection and the right to challenge unfair dismissal.
Worker
Workers have important protections, including minimum wage, paid holiday, payslips, protection from discrimination and safeguards against unlawful wage deductions. However, they do not usually receive every right available to employees.
Self-employed
Someone who is genuinely self-employed generally has fewer employment rights because they run their own business and provide services to clients. They may still have protection in areas such as health and safety and discrimination.
So what about graduate roles?
Graduate roles are often offered on employee contracts, but temporary, casual, freelance, agency and zero-hours arrangements may be treated differently. Check the terms and the way the role works in practice rather than assuming everyone in the organisation has the same status.
Your employment contract
An employment contract is the agreement between you and your employer. It may include written terms, verbal agreements, workplace policies and conditions created through established working practices. The contract can begin when you accept an unconditional job offer or when you start work, even if every term has not been placed in one document. Employees and workers should receive a written statement containing the main terms of their employment. This should explain details such as the job title, start date, pay, working hours, workplace and holiday entitlement. It should also cover matters such as probation, benefits, notice, sickness procedures and training, either directly or by referring to another document.
Read the terms before accepting the job where possible. Ask for clarification if anything is missing, unclear or different from what was discussed during recruitment. Keep copies of the offer, contract, job description and any later changes. These documents may be important if there is a disagreement about your role, salary or responsibilities.
Probation periods
Many graduate jobs begin with a probation period. This allows both you and the employer to assess whether the role is working as expected. Probation does not remove your basic employment rights. You are still entitled to protections such as minimum wage, paid holiday, lawful working hours and freedom from discrimination. However, the contract may apply different notice terms or limit access to certain enhanced company benefits during probation. Some statutory rights also depend on employment status and length of service rather than whether probation has been passed. Check how long the probation period lasts, what standards you must meet and whether it can be extended. Employers should explain performance concerns and make clear what improvement is required.
Pay and the National Minimum Wage
Your contract should state your salary or hourly rate, how often you will be paid and when payment will reach you. Most workers are entitled to at least the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage rate that applies to them. The rates are reviewed regularly and vary according to factors such as age and apprenticeship status. Your employer should provide an itemised payslip showing your gross pay and deductions such as Income Tax, National Insurance and pension contributions. Review your first few payslips and check that your salary, tax code, hours and deductions appear correct. An employer cannot usually deduct money from your pay unless the deduction is required by law, permitted by your contract or agreed by you. Raise any unexplained deduction with payroll or your manager promptly.
Working hours, breaks and overtime
Working-time rules place limits on average weekly hours and give most workers rights to rest breaks and time away from work. The exact rules can depend on your age, occupation and working pattern. Some adults can voluntarily agree to work beyond the usual average limit. An employer may ask you to consider this, but the decision should be voluntary and the agreement can normally be withdrawn by giving notice.
Working time may include required overtime, training, business travel during the working day and time spent working through lunch. Ordinary travel between home and a fixed workplace does not usually count. Check your contract to see whether overtime is paid, included within your salary or exchanged for time off. There is no general right to enhanced overtime pay, but your total pay must still comply with minimum-wage law.
Holiday entitlement and holiday pay
Almost all workers are entitled to paid annual leave. The amount will depend on their working pattern, and an employer may include bank holidays within the statutory allowance. Part-time workers receive a proportionate entitlement, while separate calculation rules can apply to irregular-hours and part-year workers.
Your contract or company policy should explain the leave year, how to request time off and how much notice you must give. Employers may refuse particular dates where there is a genuine business reason, but they must still allow workers to take their statutory entitlement. Your employer may provide more leave than the legal minimum. These additional days are contractual, so different conditions may apply to using or carrying them over. When you leave a job, you should normally be paid for statutory holiday you have built up but not taken. If you have taken more leave than you had earned, deductions from final pay generally require prior written agreement.
Sick pay and sickness procedures
Check your contract and staff handbook to understand how and when you must report an absence. Your employer may provide enhanced company sick pay, but this is separate from Statutory Sick Pay. Eligibility, payment rates and waiting-day rules can change. Check the latest GOV.UK Statutory Sick Pay guidance for the most up to date information.
You should tell your employer that you are unwell within its reporting deadline. Medical evidence may be required when an absence continues beyond the period allowed for self-certification. Do not assume that a short sickness absence can be reported after you return. Failing to follow the procedure could delay pay or cause the absence to be treated as unauthorised.
Flexible working
Eligible employees can make a statutory request to change aspects of how they work. This may involve their hours, start and finish times, working pattern or location. The law gives employees the right to make a request, not an automatic right to receive the arrangement they ask for. Employers may refuse for recognised business reasons, but they should handle requests reasonably. Your organisation may also have an informal process or a policy that is more generous than the statutory rules. Discussing the issue with your manager before submitting a formal request may help identify a practical option.
Family-related rights and leave
Employees may qualify for maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, neonatal care, parental bereavement and unpaid parental leave, as well as other forms of time away from work.
Each type of leave and pay has its own eligibility and notice requirements. Some rights apply from the start of employment, while others depend on factors such as service, earnings or National Insurance history.
Your employer may offer enhanced family leave or pay beyond the statutory minimum. Check the company policy and seek current guidance before the leave is due, as notice deadlines may apply.
Discrimination and equal treatment
Employment law protects people from discrimination connected with legally protected characteristics. These include matters such as age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Protection applies during recruitment and employment. It covers areas such as pay, working conditions, promotion, training, dismissal and redundancy. Discrimination can be direct, where someone is treated differently because of a protected characteristic, or indirect, where a rule places a group at a disadvantage without sufficient justification. Harassment and victimisation are also unlawful.
Employers must consider reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants and workers. These may relate to recruitment tests, working arrangements, equipment, physical access or other barriers. Unfair treatment is not always unlawful discrimination. However, you should record what happened and seek advice if you believe the treatment relates to a protected characteristic.
Workplace safety
Employers must provide a safe working environment and take reasonable steps to protect your health and wellbeing. This includes assessing risks, providing suitable equipment and training, and responding to reported hazards. You also have a responsibility to follow safety procedures and avoid placing yourself or others at risk.
Health and safety duties apply whether you work in an office, laboratory, warehouse, construction site, client location or from home. Raise concerns with your manager, health and safety representative or another suitable person. Workers also have protection from detrimental treatment for raising certain health and safety concerns.
Company policies
Your contract will not contain every workplace rule. Employers often use policies to explain procedures for holiday requests, sickness absence, expenses, remote working, social media, data protection, conduct, grievances and disciplinary matters. Some policies form part of your contract, while others can be changed by the employer. The wording should normally make clear whether a policy is contractual.
Read the staff handbook during your first few weeks. Pay particular attention to how you report sickness, request leave, claim expenses and raise a concern. Do not assume that an informal practice overrides a written rule. Ask for clarification if your manager’s instructions appear to conflict with the policy or contract.
Notice periods and leaving a job
Your contract should state how much notice you must give if you resign and how much notice the employer will normally provide if your employment ends. Statutory minimum notice rules can depend on employment status and length of service, while a contract may provide longer notice. Different terms may apply during probation, to fixed-term contracts or where someone is dismissed for gross misconduct. Do not resign in the heat of the moment if there is a serious dispute. Review the consequences and seek advice first.
Workplace pensions
Most employers must provide a workplace pension and automatically enrol eligible members of staff. Eligibility can depend on age, earnings, employment status and where the person normally works. Eligibility thresholds and requirements can change, so always check the current official guidance.
Your employer should explain which scheme is being used, whether you will be enrolled, how much each party will contribute and when deductions will begin. You can normally choose to leave the scheme, but doing so may mean losing employer contributions and tax relief. Consider the long-term effect and seek independent financial guidance where necessary. People who do not meet the automatic-enrolment criteria may still have the right to join or opt into the employer’s scheme.
What to do if you think your rights have been breached
Begin by checking your contract, payslips, workplace policies and any relevant messages. Keep a clear record of the issue, including dates, conversations and how it affected you. Where appropriate, raise the matter informally with your manager, HR team or payroll department. Many errors involving salary, holiday or pension deductions can be resolved without a formal process.
If the matter remains unresolved, check the organisation’s grievance procedure. Put your concern in writing and explain what outcome you are seeking. Employment claims can be subject to strict deadlines. Seek advice promptly rather than assuming that an internal process will pause or extend the time available.
Key takeaways
Your graduate employment rights come from several sources. The law provides minimum standards, your contract records the terms agreed with your employer, and company policies explain how workplace procedures operate. Check your employment status because employees, workers and self-employed people do not receive exactly the same protections. Read your written terms carefully and keep copies of your offer, contract and any later changes.
Make sure your pay, holiday, working hours, sick pay and pension arrangements follow the current rules. Use official sources for live rates, thresholds and eligibility criteria rather than relying on figures from an older article. If something appears wrong, record the details and raise it promptly. Start internally where appropriate, but seek independent advice if the issue is serious, unresolved or subject to a legal deadline.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check on my first payslip?
Check that your name, pay period, gross salary and payment date are correct. Review deductions for Income Tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, and compare the figures with your contract and starter information. If you are paid by the hour, confirm that the hours shown match your records. An unexpected deduction does not always mean the employer has acted wrongly, but you should ask payroll or your manager to explain it promptly. Keep copies of your payslips in case you need to review the issue later.
Do I have the same rights on a temporary or zero-hours contract?
Not necessarily. Your rights depend partly on whether you are legally classed as an employee, worker or self-employed, rather than only on the title of the contract. Workers still receive important protections, including minimum wage, paid holiday and protection from discrimination, but they may not receive every right available to employees. Read the written terms and consider how the arrangement works in practice. If your status is unclear, check current official guidance or seek independent advice before assuming that a particular right applies.
Can my employer change the terms of my graduate job?
Some terms may be changed by agreement, through a process described in your contract or because a non-contractual workplace policy has been updated. Your employer should not simply ignore the terms already agreed. If your salary, hours, location or responsibilities change, ask whether the change is temporary or permanent and request written confirmation. Check the original offer, contract and any relevant policy before agreeing. Keep copies of messages and revised documents so that you have a clear record of what was discussed and accepted.
What should I do if my contract differs from the job offer?
Compare the documents carefully and identify the exact difference, such as salary, location, hours, start date or probation terms. Raise it before starting work where possible and ask the employer to confirm which terms apply. The difference may be an administrative error, but you should not assume that it will correct itself later. Keep the original offer, the contract and any written response. Avoid signing or accepting unclear terms without asking questions, particularly when the change affects an important part of the role.
Do workplace policies have the same status as my contract?
Not always. Some workplace policies form part of the employment contract, while others are non-contractual and may be changed by the employer. The wording of the contract, policy or staff handbook should normally explain its status. Even where a policy is not contractual, you are generally expected to follow procedures covering matters such as sickness, leave, expenses and conduct. Ask for clarification if a manager’s instruction appears to conflict with a written rule. Keep copies of the policies that apply to your role.
Where can I get help if an employment issue is not resolved internally?
Start by checking your contract, payslips, policies and written messages. Raise the matter with your manager, HR team or payroll department where appropriate, and use the formal grievance process if the issue continues. Keep a clear record of dates, conversations and the outcome you want. Some employment claims are subject to strict time limits, so do not assume that an internal process will extend the deadline. For a serious or unresolved issue, check current official guidance and seek independent employment advice promptly.
