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Can you be made to work on Sundays?

You should check either your contract of employment or written statement of terms and conditions to see if you must work on Sundays or would have to if you were asked. If it says so, you will have to work on Sundays. If it doesn't, then the only way of making you work on that day is by a change to your contract. This is something that must normally be agreed by both you and your employer, otherwise making you work on Sundays would amount to a breach of contract.

There are special rules for shop and betting workers - see 'Special rules if you are a shop worker or work in betting' below.

• Contracts of employment

• Changes to employment conditions

• Breach of contract

Working on Sundays if you are a Christian

If you're a practising Christian you may have strong feelings about working on a Sunday. Everyone has the right not to be discriminated against because of their religion or belief (or because they have no religion or belief).

Speak to your employer and explain how important it is to you to have Sundays off to practise your religion. Employers will usually try to accommodate such requests (for example, by changing a shift pattern).

• Religion or belief discrimination

Should you get more money for working on Sundays?

It's a matter for you and your employer as to whether you are paid more for working on a Sunday. There are no statutory rights in this area, so it depends on your contract.

Many businesses choose to reward employees who work outside normal working hours. Some pay time-and-a-half or double time, while others give extra time off.

Special rules if you are a shop worker or work in betting

If you work in a shop or in the betting industry (either at a betting shop open to the public or a bookmaker at a sports venue) you have special rights. You can opt out of having to work on Sunday even if your contract says you have to. Your employer has to tell you about this right within two months of you becoming a shop worker or a betting worker.

You may not need to opt out at all, if you already have the right not to work on Sundays.

These rights don't apply if you are employed to work on Sundays only.

How to opt out of Sunday work

You opt out by writing to your employer and giving them three months' written notice that you want to stop working on Sundays. You must sign and date the notice.

If you give the notice during the period from 1 May 2023 until 9 July 2012, the three month notice period might be reduced. For further information see the link below.

• Opting out of Sunday working - 1 May 2023 until 9 July 2023 Opens new window

You only have to give one month’s notice if your employer did not give you a notice telling you about your right to opt out within two months of you becoming a shop worker or betting worker.

In both cases, before the end of the notice period, you must do all the Sunday working that is in your contract. There are, however, other rules on working hours which might limit the number of hours you can do.

• Working time limits (the 48-hour week)

• Rest breaks

If you decide to opt out, your employer may not have to offer you extra work on other days instead. It will depend on the terms of your contract. You could lose the wages you used to earn by working on Sundays.

Don't be worried about how opting out of Sunday working will affect your job security. Your employer is not allowed to treat you unfavourably (for example, deny you overtime or promotion) and you can't be dismissed fairly for refusing to work on Sundays under this right. An Employment Tribunal can award compensation if your employer breaks the rules.

• How to resolve a problem at work

Workers who automatically have the right not to work on Sundays

Long-standing shop and betting workers

If you are a long-standing shop or betting worker, you are already protected. If you are a shop worker, this applies if you have been working as a shop worker for the same employer since 25 August 1994. If you are a betting worker, the date is 2 January 1995. If you fall into either of these categories you only have to tell your employer that you don't work on a Sunday. This extra protection does not apply in Scotland.

Shop workers and betting workers who cannot be made to work on Sunday

If you are a shop worker or betting worker and under the terms of your employment contract you cannot be required to work on Sundays, you are already protected from working on Sundays.

You only have to tell your employer that you do not work on a Sunday and your employer cannot make you do so.

Opting in to Sunday work

If you already have the right not to work on Sundays, but are happy to, give your employer a written 'opting-in' notice that says you are prepared to work on Sundays. You must sign and date the notice. You must then agree exactly what work on Sundays, or on a particular Sunday, you are willing to do.

Any shop or betting worker who opts in to Sunday working has the right to opt out again at a later date (as long as they give the required notice).

What to do if you have problems

If you're worried about being asked to work on Sundays, you should talk informally to your employer first. If you are a shop or betting worker, think about whether to submit an opting-out notice.

If you are a shop or betting worker and feel you have been badly treated because you have opted out of Sunday work, you should follow the steps set out in 'How to resolve a problem at work'.

• How to resolve a problem at work

Where to get help

For more information on where to get help with employment issues visit the employment contacts page or find out more about trade unions.

• Employment contacts

• Joining a trade union