LRD guides and handbook September 2013

Contracts of employment - a guide to using the law for union reps

Chapter 3

Zero-hours contracts and the law

New employment models tend to be adopted enthusiastically by employers who want increase their flexibility and freedom to minimise the “cost” of employment rights. However, it is important to remember that terms such as zero-hours contract, or casual worker are labels, with no legal status. The employment status and contract terms of these workers will be decided by employment tribunals using ordinary principles of contract law.