Zero hours contracts

Boasts by David Cameron that the Conservative Party would protect protect workers on zero hours contracts have been described as toothless by those in the employment sector.

 

The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, passed under the last Coalition government came into existence on Tueday. It was designed to stop employers of those on "zero hour contracts" from preventing the individuals from holding other jobs.

 

The Act was intended to stop "exclusivity clauses" and was championed by David Cameron before the election. He stated, "In a Britain that everyone is proud to call home, people are employed, they are not used. Those exclusive zero-hours contracts that left people unable to build decent lives for themselves – we will scrap them."

 

Unfortunately employment lawyers have suggested that the ban is unenforceable.

 

Furthermore the Unite Union have criticised zero hours contracts as they do not guarantee a minimum number of working hours and workers miss out on annual leave and sick pay.

 

The Unite Assistant General Secretary, Steve Turner, commented, "Banning exclusivity clauses is a joke. It misses the key point that zero hours confer fear and misery of those forced into them – no security, no protection and little dignity".

 

He then added, "With millions now declared 'self employed', underemployed and insecure at work, we believe the scale of workplace insecurity is vastly underestimated by the Tory government and needs to be addressed. When business fails to create decent jobs, there are serious, deep social and economic consequences for our country."

 

A Government spokesman (for the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills) said, "The government is serious about tackling exploitative zero-hours contracts and we have taken the first step by banning them. In commencing this provision, we are able to use secondary legislation to create a route of redress for any individual whose employer ignores the ban."

 

If you think you may have been unfairly dismissed from your job, contact our unfair dismissal and redundancy solicitors on 0845 603 0708.

National Solicitors 

Redundancy Solicitors, Tunbridge Wells