[user104658]

There are a few people that these contracts are suitable for. Teenagers still living at home, University students, people who are retired and can live off their pension but want to top it up, and the second adult in a home where the first adult's income is enough to support the family (again where it's wanted just as an income top-up).

They are not a suitable primary income either for a single adult, or for a family.

So, whilst I don't think they should be illegal, they should basically exist under the following stipulations:

1) They are for the sorts of people mentioned above who are genuinely SEEKING that sort of income ONLY. They should not be considered viable employment for the purposes of, for example, forcing people on JSA to attend interviews / sanctioning benefits if they won't take one of these positions.

2) They must be flexible ON BOTH ENDS to suit the needs of the sorts of people mentioned above (i.e. students, and those with childcare responsibilities). By which I mean, the contract is not for any set hours, so the employer doesn't have to offer hours if there are none available BUT ALSO the employee doesn't have to take hours that are offered.

This worked well for my wife who worked in a care home whilst she was at University. Basically it was Zero-hours, but how it worked was that the home put up a list for what shifts were available for the following month, and then the employees could put themselves down for those shifts if they wanted them. Worked very well for a student as she could, for example, work loads of hours during Uni holidays or weeks when she had fewer classes, but didn't have to work at all during busy times such as exams, and could go home to her hometown or come to visit me whenever she wanted as there was no pressure to take shifts.

My own job while I was at Uni (chef in a student bar) worked similarly, but it was on a week to week basis and the timesheet was put up, then you "scored out" any times that you didn't want to work (be that certain hours, whole days, or the whole week) and the manager made up a rota around that. Again, handy for me taking time off to travel to visit her, or book three days off for a night out + 2 day hangover...

Where they really, really don't work is when the employers dictate everything - telling people that they have no hours at all one week, but then forcing them to work 40 on the days they choose the next week with the threat of losing the job if they don't comply.


TL;DR - they're fine as a casual job or income top-up for people who want, but dont NEED, the extra money. They are NOT viable full time employment. You have no rights, no holidays, no sick pay, no job security. I can't imagine trying to support a family in that situation, I would be constantly stressed out of my mind.