Glossary · UK
What is Guaranteed Hours (Zero-Hours Reform)?
A proposed right, under the Employment Rights Bill, for zero-hours and low-hours workers to be offered a contract reflecting the hours they regularly work, plus reasonable notice of shifts.
Full Definition
Zero-hours contracts, under which an employer has no obligation to offer a minimum number of hours and the worker has no obligation to accept shifts offered, have long attracted criticism for creating income insecurity for workers who in practice work regular hours week after week. The Employment Rights Bill proposes a 'guaranteed hours' right requiring employers to offer qualifying zero-hours and low-hours workers a contract reflecting the hours they have actually and regularly worked over a stated reference period, which the worker can accept or decline while keeping their existing zero-hours arrangement if they prefer the flexibility. Alongside this, the reforms propose a right to reasonable notice of shifts being offered or cancelled, and compensation for shifts cancelled or curtailed at short notice, to reduce the financial disruption zero-hours workers can face from last-minute schedule changes. As with other Employment Rights Bill measures, the detailed mechanics — including the length of the reference period and what counts as 'reasonable' notice — were subject to consultation and phased commencement.