Working Time under the European Union Law

Abstract

Harmonizing legislation on working time is at the forefront of priorities of European lawmakers. The aim of this article is to provide a complex interpretation of the working time legislation in the EU, highlighting the most problematic areas which result from the rich case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Given such aim, the Author focused on the contemporary issues regarding work stand-by and workers’ rights to annual holidays. These areas can be considered problematic and in addition, the EU anticipates adoption of a new directive which should deal with the indicated uncertainties of interpretation. In the end, the Author emphasizes that the issues raised are not purely academic, their goal is rather to protect individual social rights which one can invoke through a claim for damages caused by national legislators’ misconduct.