Glossary
UK HR & employment law, in plain English.
Short, accurate definitions of the terms that come up most for UK employers — checked against primary sources and kept current.
12.07% holiday accrual
The standard method for calculating statutory holiday entitlement for irregular-hours and part-year workers, based on hours actually worked.
Bradford Factor
A formula HR teams use to score how disruptive someone's sickness absence pattern is, weighting frequent short absences more heavily than one long one.
Data controller vs data processor
Under UK GDPR, the controller decides why and how personal data is used; the processor handles it on the controller's instructions and behalf.
DBS check
A criminal record check run by the Disclosure and Barring Service, used by UK employers to check a candidate's criminal history before certain jobs.
Right to work check
The legally-required check every UK employer must carry out before employing someone, confirming they are permitted to work in the UK.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
The minimum amount UK employers must pay eligible employees who are off work sick, set by the government and reviewed each April.
TOIL (Time Off in Lieu)
Time off given to an employee instead of paying them overtime, in exchange for extra hours worked.
TUPE
The UK law that protects employees' terms and continuity of employment when the business they work for is sold, outsourced, or changes hands.
Working Time Regulations 1998
The UK law setting maximum working hours, minimum rest breaks, and statutory paid holiday entitlement.
Zero-hours contract
A contract where an employer isn't obliged to offer a minimum number of hours, and the worker isn't obliged to accept the hours offered.
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