Can my employer change me to a zero hour contract?

An employment contract can only be varied if there is agreement or if the terms allow it. If your contract is clear and says that your employer can make the specific change that they want to make e.g. to vary or reduce your hours, then your employer may be able to make the change without your agreement.

What are the benefits of a zero hour contract?

Advantages of zero hour contracts

• Flexibility. Zero hours contracts can be particularly appealing to people who need the flexibility of being able to turn down work, or not having a particular schedule.
• Opportunities.
• Extra income.
• Unpredictable hours.
• Low income.
• Pressure.

Is someone on a zero hours contract an employee?

Everyone employed on a zero hours contract is entitled to statutory employment rights. There are no exceptions. A person will benefit from the employment rights associated with their employment status and individuals on a zero hours contract will either have the employment status of a ‘worker’ or an ’employee’.

Can an employer Add duties without compensation?

So, the short answer is, yes, your employer may assign you tasks not specifically outlined in your job description. Unless you work under a collective bargaining agreement or contract, your employer can legally change your duties. Let me offer more detail.

What are the disadvantages of a zero hour contract?

What are the drawbacks of zero hour contracts? One disadvantage is that without any set work and hours per week, you may not have a fixed/guaranteed income. This can make budgeting difficult as your income may change month by month, especially as a student.

What’s bad about zero hour contracts?

One of the disadvantages of zero-hour contracts from the perspective of an employee is the issue of workplace benefits. Zero hours employers are not obliged to provide employees with redundancy pay, holiday pay, sick pay, or a pension scheme. However, the fact that they are not obliged to doesn’t mean that none do.

How much notice am I required to give on a zero hours contract?

Zero hours contract workers have no statutory rights to notice periods. This means you can terminate a worker’s zero hours contract without notice—and they can leave without any warning. The reason for this is that most casual staff have the employment status of ‘worker’.

Can my employer change my contract and make me work weekends?

A flexibility clause within an individual’s employment contract can be used by the employer to unilaterally vary an employee’s normal working hours, provided this change falls within the scope of any such clause. Either way, an employee working under such a contract must be ready to work weekends.

Can I say no to additional work?

Thank the person for the opportunity, letting him or her know you’re honored to be considered. Then graciously decline, “in order to give my full attention to responsibilities already on my plate.” Even then, don’t leave him or her hanging. Recommend a colleague who might appreciate the assignment.

What does it mean to be on a zero hour contract?

A zero-hours contract means workers are supposed to remain available for work but are not guaranteed work. The amount of work they are given may vary, so there is no guarantee of the amount of pay they will be receiving. When an employee agrees to a zero-hour contract, an employer can call them in whenever they are needed.

Can you get unemployment if you work a zero-hour schedule?

But even workers who are on zero hour schedules or who are furloughed are eligible for unemployment benefits, according to Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation.

What are the benefits of being a zero hour employee?

However, the employee is not paid for the hours they do not work, even though they must be available during that time. There are typically no benefits given to zero-hour employees, such as holiday pay, paid sick days, or redundancy pay.

Do restaurants put laid-off workers on Zero Hour schedules?

While some restaurants, like Per Se, are encouraging their laid-off workers to apply for unemployment benefits, according to those who spoke to Business Insider, others are reportedly putting their employees on “zero hour schedules” and telling them they’re not eligible to collect unemployment benefits.