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Zero hours contracts

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

What are your personal experiences of them?

Are they good or bad?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"What are your personal experiences of them?

Are they good or bad? "

I used to work for a chain of shops. The Saturday staff would have zero hours. As you can imagine the Saturday staff were at school. Some of them would go to university, and go work in a branch in their new location. Then when it was the holidays, and they came back home. They could work back in the shop they started in. That scenario worked very well.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

No fixed income- With no set hours to work, the amount you earn will vary week to week, so while you might have lots of work one week you might find yourself with much less the next.

In this situation, it's possible to find financial help through benefits to supplied lower income.

Feeling undervalued- Working in a zero hour contract means that you'll miss out on benefits that full time or permanent employees will get as standard, such as a pension and redundancy rights.

This can leave you feeling undervalued.

Constantly on-call- Not knowing when you'll work can make you feel restricted, especially if you are balancing more than one job, or if you have other responsibilities such as picking the kids up from school.

Few work set hours and so can be unsettling.

Damaging to your social life-

Plus, if you don't have the income to support an active social life

Struggle with bills- Zero hour contracts don't offer you a stable cash flow.

Some points here and certainly not definative.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

My friend had a zero hour contract over Christmas and afterwards got exactly zero hours for months after. It didn't matter much to her, because her husband is a black cab driver, but I would have been fucked. I think they work for people who don't have many financial responsibilities and don't have large regular bills to pay.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I'd agree with Inthemiddle -- and caveat that the administration bureaucracy of the benefits to supplement further complicates this process so it's not smooth, or supportive or stressfree for those needing bolstering.

Childcare organising at short notice for call is difficult for those requiring it.

The contracts work for those working around studying as Jim mentioned -- and work for employers needing flows of surplus staff.

My work covers this policy area and I think zero hours contracts are evil.

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By *eavenNhellCouple over a year ago

carrbrook stalybridge

on a zero hours contract atm collecting lease cars as and when sometimes one day a week some four universal credit is reduced by 65p for every pound i earn payed monthly in arrears. so life can be very difficult some times in the week before benefits are payed if the week before was quiet horrible way to live tbh currently no gas untill thursday as had so many quiet weeks

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

My son is on one, he's still at school so whatever money he earns from work is his, it's just so he has some extra cash for himself and by no means a career, they work for some people but not ideal for people with overheads.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Unless work comes in, the self employed are on zero hours a week.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

There are some staff at my workplace who have zero hours contracts. They all prefer them because they can say no to work if they dont want to work that day. They also get a far better wage than us staff on normal contracts plus they get sick pay.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Was self employed upto three years ago,started off with present firm just week ends,but due to insurance concerns,working on big £ jobs went on books PAYE,zero hours,worked increased found myself full time,but still on zero hours,upto now this has suited me,i don't want work 48 weeks a year with 4 week hols,usually have 4 months off a year,don't go on jobs run by people i cant be doing with,and been lucky enough to make very good £,saved enough in 3 years to buy a second house n still have plenty in bank for time off,think I've been very lucky as i don't think this is usual zero hours experience,in fact firm I'm on with is changing so might be end here for me,but I'm happy with temp work so just go back self employed or ltd.works for me at the mo but in general,if you have mortgage,debt or want that can't see how people can live with these contracts you see?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

it's easy to lose track of how many blocks of national insurance have been paid in any given year. resulting in a whole year not counting just due to 1 block being unpaid in that 52 block period. to close the gap later on can prove very expensive

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Unless work comes in, the self employed are on zero hours a week."

There are ways to more easily regulate forecast of hours in self-emp for benefit supplementing though. Not perfectly, but it is a touch easier.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"There are some staff at my workplace who have zero hours contracts. They all prefer them because they can say no to work if they dont want to work that day. They also get a far better wage than us staff on normal contracts plus they get sick pay. "

Is there continuous work on offer then? I'm sure if that's the case it lessens considerably the main issue these contracts pose elsewhere. Genuine question.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

where the system really breaks down is when a company expects you to make yourself potentially available for work every day and impose rules like not being allowed to work for any other firm

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"What are your personal experiences of them?

Are they good or bad?

WE use zero hoir staff at the other ed of the end scale. My work is pretty specialised as is that of number of partner organisations, temps aren;t a viable option as training takes months so we have retired staff on zero hours contracts to cover staff shortages or extremely busy spells.

I personally think this works well, as does the scenario I quote. But from the horror stories I here this is very much the exception and not the norm

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

There defo seems to be advantages and disadvantages to these. I have no experience of them, but see all the bad press, which is why I was asking

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"What are your personal experiences of them?

Are they good or bad?

I personally think this works well, as does the scenario I quote. But from the horror stories I here this is very much the exception and not the norm"

Interesting point

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

In my opinion they are an absolute nightmare having just had 3 weeks with no work and no money through benefits. They shouldn't be allowed

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By *ophieslutTV/TS over a year ago

Central

Outlaw them, so that people have employment protection and their due rights. Things are too much in favour of businesses, not people

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

They are the result of more red tape and employment costs drummed up by the government. Employers will try to keep to costs down but maintain flexibility.

The only way you could scrap zero hour contracts is to put a maximum number of overtime hours based on a percentage of your contracted hours, say 100%. So if you're contracted to work 15hrs a week, you can work an extra 15hrs overtime. If your contract is zero, your overtime is zero.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

They are an appalling tool, created by self serving businesses (warehouse style outlets, requiring cheap labour) & endorsed by idiotic governments, that failed to ban them completely.

I would never employ anyone on a zero hour contract. Harmful to people's financial wellbeing, and the job market in general.

Minority of people benefit - casual workers and students. For anyone who is trying to survive in life, with regular incomes, they damage them.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I am on a zero hours contract and have been for the last two years. I have worked no less than 18 hours a week for that period. I've been very lucky.

I don't get sick pay but I do get holiday pay. Luckily I'm not sick very often and when I am, my employer allows me to take it as holiday.

I'm quite lucky because I've made myself so valuable to them they are unlikely to cut my hours. If I were to leave they would be in the shit!

I've seen the way my employer has treated other staff members (we are all zero hours) and it's pretty appalling to be honest.

Just a few pointers for those who don't know... You are entitled to find work else where, your employer is no longer entitled to prevent this.

After 2 years employment you are entitled to take holiday before you have accrued it.

Direct gov website is very helpful.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Is there continuous work on offer then? I'm sure if that's the case it lessens considerably the main issue these contracts pose elsewhere. Genuine question."

Some of them get plenty of work but a few get less hours given to them. However if we need less staff then all of them will lose work hours unlike us contracted staff. Most like it as they can refuse the shifts offered them if they want.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

If zero hours contracts weren't allowed my work place would struggle and probably have to close meaning the loss of work for all the staff.

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By *ndonmaleMan over a year ago

Preston

My staff are on zero hours contracts.

The work we provide is more often term time and they have regular hours each week.

During the holiday terms they often have the opportunity to do more hours per week than they would usually do.

They get paid approx 8% more on their hourly rate to compensate any holidays taken.

They don't get paid sick, which does mean as an employer their is not many sick days taken.

My business would not work (neither would similar businesses) if staff were on part/full time contracts.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I was on a zero hour contract whilst i was at uni. I was employed by a DIY store. Meant i didn't work during term time but was full time during the holidays. Worked great for all involved!

They definitely have a place so i wouldn't want to see them banned.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Zero hours,should be zero obligation.

That should apply on both sides, no conditions, as much as they have the right to set your hours you have the right to have other jobs.

You are skills they need, their business would not work because of you. Remember they may have the money but you have the power.

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By *ndonmaleMan over a year ago

Preston

"Zero hours,should be zero obligation.

That should apply on both sides, no conditions, as much as they have the right to set your hours you have the right to have other jobs.

You are skills they need, their business would not work because of you. Remember they may have the money but you have the power.

I agree, my staff are encouraged to get morning work to boost their wages as I can very rarely offer anything until about 12.15.

They choose to accept or decline work that is offered and I'm constantly trying to increase their hours within the times that they are available.

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