And the following rights apply to both workers and workers: In the UK, under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, workers working under a zero-hour contract for on-call time, on-call duty and absenteeism must receive the national minimum wage for hours worked. Prior to the introduction of the Working Time Ordinance 1998 and the National Minimum Wage Ordinance 1999, zero-hour contracts were sometimes used to “stamp” staff during periods of calm while remaining on site so that they could be returned to paid work when needed. National minimum wage regulations require employers to pay the national minimum wage for the time workers are required to be in the workplace, even when there is no “work” to be done. [4] [5] In the past, some employees working on a zero-hour contract have been told that they must obtain permission from their employer before accepting another job, but this practice has now been prohibited under UK law enacted in May 2015. [1] [6] At least theoretically, the flexibility of zero-hour contracts can be beneficial both for the employee (they can choose the hours they work or adapt zero-hour work to other jobs, engagements, or studies) and for the employer (they have an agile workforce that can respond quickly to business needs). However, workers with these contracts can face huge financial pressures because they don`t always know when they will be working and what their monthly income will be. Check if you MUST take the hours offered – some contracts stipulate that you must take the hours offered. If this is the case, think carefully, there may be times when you cannot work and have to turn down shifts. With this in mind, a zero-hour contract usually implies that an employer is not able to guarantee individual working hours or a defined work model. If you work in the gig economy – that is, you are an independent contractor who fulfills orders for a company – are you technically self-employed, so you are not entitled to leave or sick pay. You can, of course, set your own contractual notice period, but it must be higher than the legal minimum described above. Make it clear in their contract (if you have given them one) whether they are an employee or a worker.

The Institute of Directors, a recognised organisation of UK business leaders, defended the contracts as a flexible labour market, citing the lack of flexibility in Italy and Spain. [17] MP Jacob Rees-Mogg also argued that they benefit workers, including students, by providing flexibility and a pathway to more permanent employment. [37] You may find that you are not offered work in a month and are offered a lot the following month, which means that you are making an effort to make up for your loss in the previous month and therefore feel compelled to work hours that you did not want to do. Some zero-hour workers have other sources of income and enjoy the benefits of casual work. B for example the possibility of refusing a shift for any reason or working for another company at the same time. In the UK, zero-hour contracts are controversial. British business leaders have backed them, saying they offer a flexible labour market. [27] They may be suitable for some people, such as retirees and students, who want a casual income and are able to be completely flexible when working.

[28] It has been reported that 60% of people on zero-hour contracts are satisfied with the hours they work. [29] Labour groups and others have raised concerns about the possibility for management to exploit and use these contracts as a tool to reward or reprimand employees for any significant or trivial reason. They also raise concerns about how workers can adequately assert their workers` rights or maintain decent work. [30] Since zero-hour contracts are still relatively rare, people are not quite sure of their rights and are therefore susceptible to abuse. For example, there is concern that workers who are considered “good” (those who take shifts) will be offered more work more regularly than workers who are considered “bad” (those who reject shifts). If you have a zero-hour contract or are considering taking one, you may not be sure of your rights or worried about being abused. We consulted with the experts to answer some frequently asked questions. In order to reduce the risk of unjustified dismissal requests, and given that the law moves towards aligning zero-hour rights with rights on fixed-term contracts, employers are generally advised to apply the same procedure when dismissing an employee with a zero-hour contract as for an employee with a standard employment contract, e.B. with a minimum legal notice period. It`s a great way to pack the hours as soon as they`re available, while still having the option to work elsewhere.

Since people with zero-hour contracts are not set at a certain number of hours, they are allowed to work in different jobs to increase their income or simply enjoy a bit of variety. It should be noted that some employers have used exclusivity clauses in their contracts, which were rightly considered unfair in 2015 and are no longer enforceable. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 18- to 24-year-olds are most likely to be employed on zero-hour contracts. However, many employees struggle with the financial instability of these contracts and will accept any work they can get. In 2011, zero-hour contracts were used in many sectors of the UK economy:[16] For this reason, it is important to draft a contract, even when you work occasionally. In 2018, the government passed a law that gives workers the right to a written record of their basic terms and conditions of employment. These typically include work responsibilities, hours of work, dress code, and compensation. You must ensure that you receive this information in writing on the first day of your employment. The mass 1 survey showed that zero-hour contracts were more common in the North West of England, among young workers and in agriculture. Often, workers have stated that vacation pay is denied (which is illegal)[13] and, in most cases, sick pay.

The National Farmers` Union, which represents farmers, supports zero-hour contracts because they offer the flexibility needed for tasks such as harvesting. [14] The “zero-hour contract” is not a term defined in English law. It is simply the name given to a contract that is flexible for both parties, since the employer does not have to offer a certain amount of work or work at all and the employee is not obliged to accept the job offer. Zero-hour contracts are a little different from traditional contracts in that they offer employees different rights. The biggest difference between the two is that people with traditional contracts are called employees, while people with zero-hour contracts are called employees. What is the difference between an employee and an employee? There is a common misconception that a zero-hour contract worker has no legal rights. That`s not true. You are entitled to basic legal labour rights such as national minimum wage (NMW), vacation pay and statutory breaks, depending on the hours you have to work. .