• Kent HR
    01622 776445
Kent HR  
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our People
    • Veronica Fox
    • Lily Toppo
    • Catherine Daw
    • Joanna Worby
    • Michelle Perry
    • Hazel Burgess
    • Lisa Clements
    • Sue Tewes
  • Services
    • HR operational support
    • HR strategy
    • Staff handbooks and HR policies
    • HR training and development
    • Employee relations support and retainer
    • Recruitment and selection support
    • HR support for business start ups
    • HR investigations
    • Employee wellbeing
    • Workplace mediation
    • Outplacement support
    • HR support for small businesses
    • HR support for schools and academies
    • HR support for charities
    • HR support for healthcare providers
    • Employment law support
  • Client Stories
  • Knowledge Centre
  • Events
  • Contact Us
  •  

Knowledge centre

Zero hours contracts: points for consideration

  • Zero hours contracts: points for consideration

    Published: August 2 2013

    Zero hours contracts have been taking a lot of criticism in the press recently. The intention of such a contract is that the individual will be a worker, rather than an employee or self-employed contractor. A zero hours contract does not guarantee work from the employer, but the worker is generally expected to accept any work offered. As workers rather than employees, as an example are still entitled to paid annual leave, statutory sick pay, pension contributions under auto-enrolment rules and rest breaks under working time regulations. Employers can make good use of zero-hours contracts when there is additional work or cover needed, as they can draw from a pool of trained and available staff. This can also be beneficial for workers who are genuinely willing and able to be flexible, for example, students looking for holiday work.

    However, the downside is that the flexibility is all from the employer which can be attractive for businesses in the current uncertain economic climate. Another tactic is to put workers on very part-time contracts, such as 8 – 10 hours per week, and then offer additional hours up to as much as 40 or more per week.

    The uncertainty of guaranteed work gets passed on to workers, who may be forced to accept zero-hours contracts as that is the only employment that is available to them in their area, and who then find it difficult to have a predictable income or a predictable work pattern to help with domestic responsibilities. There is also the issue of how work is allocated and whether workers may be overlooked for work if they have raised any complaints or other issues. They may also end up out of pocket on travel costs if they turn up for work and are then turned away because they are not needed.

    Ultimately, this has a negative impact on employer reputation and could affect the smooth running of a business if workers are not available for such work, and profitability if adverse publicity or word of mouth means customers stay away. There is a moral argument that responsible employers should have a relationship with their workers which genuinely reflects the work available, and is not exploiting the local workforce. It is, therefore, welcome news that Vince Cable has commissioned an investigation into these types of contracts, but the publicity about employers who have zero hours contracts for a majority of their workers should not overshadow the benefits that such contracts can bring to workers and employers.

    Advice on contracts of employment

    Kent HR consultants provide advice on contacts of employment including zero hour contracts. For more information complete the enquiry form below or contact us to discuss your requirements.

    « previous article
    next article »
  • Articles that you may be interested in

  • 60 seconds with…Veronica Fox

    We caught up with Veronica Fox, one of our HR consultants, to ask her some quick questions and discover why she likes working for Kent HR.

    Read Article
  • 60 seconds with…Lily Toppo

    We caught up with Lily Toppo, one of our HR consultants, to ask her some quick questions and discover why she likes working for Kent HR.

    Read Article
  • Quality of apprenticeships on the rise but overall numbers declining

    In response to National Apprenticeship Week which was held in the first week of February, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has been looking at the role of apprenticeships in workforce development.

    Read Article
  • Brexit: the impact on your workforce

    Organisations may not see much change during the transition period, however, you should be utilising this time to prepare for the changes that are due to come into place on 1 January 2021.

    Read Article
  • Top tips for employers for an office Christmas party

    Read our top tips on what you should consider as an employer when hosting a Christmas party for your employees and ensure your policies are up to date.

    Read Article
  • Have a question?

    Get in touch and our HR Consultants
    will get back to you.

    Subscribe to HR news and updates

    If you would like to hear about employment and
    HR updates from Kent HR and/or Brachers,
    please sign up today.

    Subscribe
  • Kent HR logo white version
    Tel: 01622 776445
    Email: info@kenthr.co.uk
    © 2021 Kent HR LLP
    Registered no: OC367476
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of engagement
    • Website terms of use
    • Accessibility
    • Sitemap
  • Head Office

    59 london road
    maidstone
    kent
    me16 8jh

    • LinkedIn
  • Canterbury Office

    First Floor
    Graylaw House
    20-22 Watling Street
    Canterbury
    Kent
    CT1 2UA

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Kent HR
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.