Essential points

  • Zero-hours contracts are defined as contracts by which an employee is obliged to be available for a certain number of hours per week, or as and when required by the employer.
  • The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 provides a mechanism for an employee who works a variable number of hours per week over a period of at least a year to seek certainty about the number of hours he or she will be permitted to work in the future.
  • The Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994 as amended provides that an employee who has six months service and who is not still in probation can request “a form of employment with more predictable and secure working conditions”.

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Please note

​While every care has been taken in compiling this content, the CIPD cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. These notes are not intended to be a substitute for specific legal advice.

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