Government to look at zero hours contracts
The government’s department for Business, Innovation & Skills has confirmed that it will look at zero hours contracts, due to concern about their misuse by some employers.
As part of its research on the subject, government officials will speak to a variety of organisations, including trade unions and industry bodies representing sectors where zero hours contracts are most in use.
Business secretary Vince Cable said: "In the last decade, there has been a steady rise in the number of zero hours contracts. For some these can be the right sort of employment contract, giving workers a choice of working patterns. However, for a contract that is now more widely used, we know relatively little about its effect on employers and employees. There has been anecdotal evidence of abuse by certain employers - including in the public sector - of some vulnerable workers at the margins of the labour market.
While it's important our workforce remains flexible, it is equally important that it is treated fairly. This is why I have asked my officials to undertake some work to better understand how this type of contract is working in practice today."
General Secretary of the TUC Frances O'Grady welcomed the news: "With the tough times set to continue, now is the perfect time for the Government to be reviewing - and hopefully regulating - the increasing use of these exploitative contracts. Young people desperate to gain experience of the world of work are the most vulnerable to this kind of exploitation. Anyone employed in a zero hours way can never be sure how many hours they'll work or how much money they'll get in their pay packet, which puts a real strain on their already stretched finances and can make organising childcare a logistical nightmare."
If you’d like advice about your terms and conditions of employment, please contact Ashley Hunt, Vaishali Thakerar or Carrie-Ann Randall at Lawson-West on 0116 212 1000.
