Zero Hours Contract Guidance Issued By Dept for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS)
The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) have issued Employer guidance on zero hours contract.
Zero hours contract is a non-legal term used to describe many different types of casual agreements between an employer and an individual.
Generally speaking, it is one in which the employer does not guarantee the individual any hours of work. The employer offers the individual work when it arises, and the individual can either accept the work offered, or decide not to take up the offer of work on that occasion.
Regardless of how many hours are actually offered, the employer must pay at least the National Minimum Wage.
This guidance does not cover those who are genuinely self-employed and undertake work on a zero hours arrangement. For example, a self-employed plumber might take up work offered on a zero hours basis from a number of regular clients, but he remains self-employed.
The guide covers a full description of how they should be used.
Included in the guide is information on: what they are, employment rights; appropriate use; inappropriate use; alternatives; best practice and exclusivity clauses.
For full details click here.
