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Broken zero-hours contracts are leaving workers in limbo

30 April 2014

Citizens Advice has said there must be clarification to the rules on zero hours contracts to protect employees who are left with no money coming in or open to exploitation at work. The call comes as new figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal that there could be up to 2.7 million people on contracts with no fixed hours of work, with many receiving no work at all.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said:

“Zero-hours contracts are playing havoc with people’s ability to make ends meet. As bills rocket and employment remains precarious, people are desperate for stable work. But we see people on zero hours contracts who are not given any work, leaving them struggling to pay rent, keep the lights on or put food on the table. At the same time, a fluctuating income can make it almost impossible for people to claim in or out of work benefits.

“Even if people are getting work, unscrupulous employers are using zero-hour contracts to deny workers their basic rights. We help people who have effectively been sacked when employers have cut hours to zero after they become pregnant, take time off sick or ask for changes to their working patterns. Others have missed out pay when bosses have exploited loopholes in the law to withhold holiday pay or held up the possibility of more work in the future to stop employees from claiming redundancy.

“This exploitation has no place in the modern labour market. There needs to be more clarity around holiday pay and redundancy rights for workers on casual and zero-hour contracts. We also want to see flexible contracts come with minimum pay or minimum hours agreements so that employees know where they stand.”

Notes to editors:

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website.
  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
  3. To find your local bureau in England and Wales, visit citizensadvice.org.uk. You can also get advice online at adviceguide.org.uk
  4. You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers
  5. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.3 million clients on 5.4 million problems from October 2013 to September 2014. For full 2013/2014  service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends
  6. Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 3,000 service outlets across England and Wales.