---
title: "News Story: Employment rights"
description: News Story about employment rights and the Seafarers' Charter intended to guarantee fair wages, proper rest periods and suitable training for seafarers.
---

[FC Blog ](https://blog.fromcounsel.com)

# [News Story: Employment rights](https://blog.fromcounsel.com/seafarers-charter-2023)

 Written by [Sample HubSpot User](https://blog.fromcounsel.com/author/sample-hubspot-user) | Jul 28, 2023 12:45:00 PM

On 24 July 2023, the Department for Transport published a new voluntary [Seafarers' Charter](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-seafarers-charter) which is intended to guarantee fair wages, proper rest periods and suitable training for seafarers ([DoT Press Release](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-historic-boost-to-seafarers-rights-and-welfare?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=06152d3a-4bf7-44e2-9a09-feb5148db85e&utm_content=daily)).

 The Seafarers' Charter is part of the government’s [Nine-Point Plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nine-point-plan-for-seafarers-our-commitments-to-protect-seafarers/nine-point-plan-for-seafarers-our-commitments-to-protect-seafarers) to enhance seafarers' employment protections and protect their welfare, which was developed in response to P&O Ferries' decision to terminate almost 800 staff without notice. Other measures forming part of the Plan include the [Seafarers' Wages Act 2023](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/8/contents/enacted) (see [FC Feature 28 March 2023](https://www.fromcounsel.com/employment/ca/id/486?utm_source=news&utm_campaign=280323&utm_term=FCFeature280323SeafarersWagesBill+&utm_content=FCFeature280323SeafarersWagesBill2023)) which guarantees minimum wage payments for seafarers, and the government's proposals to adopt a statutory code of practice on dismissal and re-engagement (see [FC Feature 24 January 2023](https://www.fromcounsel.com/ms/employment/ca/id/257)).

The Seafarers' Charter is backed by a number of ferry companies and a similar initiative is being introduced by the French government. The Charter requires employers to:

- pay seafarers for overtime at a rate of a least 1.25 times the basic hourly rate;
- ensure adequate training and development is provided;
- provide employees with a full, indefinite contract;
- allow seafarers to receive social security benefits, including sickness benefits, family benefits, and medical care;
- adopt roster patterns considering fatigue, mental health and safety;
- provide adequate rest periods between shifts and rosters; and
- carry out regular drug and alcohol testing.

For the application of statutory employment protections to seafarers, see [Territorial jurisdiction](https://www.fromcounsel.com/employment/full/qa/coutrijur1/tEQkyCuWHn) generally, and [Q&A here](https://www.fromcounsel.com/employment/full/qa/coutrijur1/SGVtVrN7xf?utm_source=ca&utm_campaign=280323&utm_term=FCFeature-SeafarersWagesBillreceivesRoyalAssent&utm_content=FCQA-TerritorialJurisdictionQ28) for further details.

 

Want to view more content like this?  Or view the previous features?  Sign up for a Free Trial to our service.

[View full post](https://blog.fromcounsel.com/seafarers-charter-2023)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Sample HubSpot User"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-07-24T09:21:44.621Z",
  "datePublished" : "2023-07-28T12:45:00Z",
  "headline" : "News Story: Employment rights",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 900,
    "url" : "https://info.fromcounsel.com/hubfs/Employment%20rights.svg",
    "width" : 1600
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.fromcounsel.com/seafarers-charter-2023",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "FC Blog"
  }
}
```