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“Getting guaranteed hours proposal wrong would be a disaster for workers,” says REC

Neil Carberry said: “The open questions in this consultation must signal a change of approach towards working in partnership with employers as well as unions.” 

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Neil Carberry (pictured), CEO at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), has said the current approach to guaranteed hours proposals could be a disaster for workers. 

This follows the publication of a key consultation on the Government’s guaranteed hours proposal for workers on zero hours contracts. 

Recent data showed that over one million people in the UK work on zero hours contracts. 

The government has proposed new rules to end one-sided flexibility and ensure more security and predictability for workers. 

Employers will have to offer guaranteed hours to eligible staff based on the hours they usually work over a set reference period, likely to be 12 weeks. 

Workers can reject this and stay on a zero hours contract if they prefer.

The new measures will also mean employers must give reasonable notice of shifts.

If not, workers will be able to bring a tribunal claim, with Government regulations setting out what counts as ‘reasonable’ notice. 

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Employers will also have to pay workers for any shifts cancelled, moved or cut at short notice.

For agency workers, the obligation to offer guaranteed hours will usually fall on the hirer, but there is flexibility for agencies to take on this responsibility in some cases. 

Both agencies and hirers will be responsible for giving reasonable notice of shifts and for making short notice payments if shifts are cancelled.

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The government plans to consult further on the details before the measures are implemented, including how the rules will apply to agency workers and what will be considered reasonable notice or short notice cancellation.

Carberry said: “Getting these proposals wrong would be a disaster for workers, with unemployment rising and youth unemployment a particularly worrying challenge.

“It is disappointing that the government has drifted so far from the original proposals agreed by businesses and unions in the Low Pay Commission, towards something that pleases the unions but will damage work opportunities for vulnerable workers, especially those who need flexible work.

“The open questions in this consultation must signal a change of approach towards working in partnership with employers as well as unions.” 

Carberry added: “Despite commitments given last autumn, there has been little evidence of government taking business concerns on the cost of employment seriously enough, with predictable results starting to emerge in monthly labour market figures.”

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