The government has urged people looking for a new job in 2008 to make sure they are aware of their holiday, pay and flexible working rights.

New maternity leave arrangements and extended rights to ask to work flexibly are some of the entitlements introduced in recent months, ministers have pointed out.

Employment relations minister Pat McFadden says: "We want to make sure that workers know what rights they have when applying for a new job, so they can check their existing conditions are up to scratch.

"In the past few months the minimum wage has risen and full-time workers have been given rights to an extra four days' paid leave a year.

"People deserve decent working standards - a minimum wage, the right to paid holidays and the right to work in a safe environment."

A checklist of rights published by the government included 24 days' paid holiday, extra leave and pay for new mums and dads, up to 13 weeks' leave for parents to look after young and disabled children and "keeping in touch" days for women on maternity leave.

New rights for aspiring actors and models are being introduced from April, including a seven-day "cooling-off" period when they sign up to contracts, during which time agencies will be banned from taking any fee.