Zero-hours contracts: ministers’ detailed plans for UK ban criticised by firms and unions

Key Takeaways

• Ministers are facing criticism from unions and employers after laying out details of plans for a guaranteed regular working week as part of a ban on zero-hours contracts.
• Under rules poised to come into force next year, employers will have to offer staff on zero hours or “short hours” contracts, including agency workers, a minimum number of hours each week based on their regular working hours.
• In a consultation launched on Tuesday on how to implement the changes, the government said its preference was that workers would be guaranteed a minimum of between eight and 20 hours a week if their current contracts are at or below that level.
• Businesses should determine a worker’s regular hours over a 12-week reference period under the government’s preferred option.
• It will be possible for workers to choose to be on a zero-hours contract but they will be eligible for compensation if their shifts are changed at short notice.