Zero-hours contracts have again been in the news, this time because one employer has offered staff the chance to move away from them and onto fixed hours.
Zero-hours contracts have again been in the news, this time because one employer has offered staff the chance to move away from them and onto fixed hours.
McDonald’s, said to be one of the biggest users of zero-hours contracts in the UK, made the decision in response to difficulties its staff were having in getting loans, mortgages and mobile phone contracts. It’s been reported that McDonald’s workers have the option of contracts that guarantee a minimum of 4, 16 or 30 hours per week.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this story is that, during the trial phase, take-up wasn’t that high. Apparently, about 80% of staff chose to stay on zero-hours. Of the rest, most went for the maximum 30 hours.
It goes to show that despite the criticisms, there remains a need for the sort of flexibility that zero-hours contracts offer – and that goes for employees as well as employers.
