New law gives tens of millions more say over their working hours

It has thrown its support behind Blackpool South MP Scott Benton’s Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill, which will bring forward huge changes for tens of millions of workers across the UK.

The move, which would apply to all workers and employees including agency workers, came after a review found many workers on zero-hours contracts experience ‘one-sided flexibility’.

This means people across the country are currently left waiting, unable to get on with their lives in case of being called up at the last minute for a shift. With a more predictable working pattern, workers will have a guarantee of when they are required to work, with hours that work for them.

If a worker’s existing working pattern lacks certainty in terms of the hours they work, the times they work, or if it is a fixed-term contract for less than 12 months, they will be able to make a formal application to change their working pattern to make it more predictable.

Labour Markets Minister, Kevin Hollinrake, said hardworking staff on zero-hours contracts across the country put their lives on hold to make themselves readily available for shifts that may never actually come.

“Employers having one-sided flexibility over their staff is unfair and unreasonable,” he said. “This Bill will ensure workers can request more predictable working patterns where they want them, so they can get on with their daily lives.”

Mr Benton said the bill gives people a right to ask their employers to consider requests and will be welcomed by thousands of people.

The move came as part of a package of policies this government is supporting to further workers’ rights across the country, such as:

• Supporting parents of babies who need neonatal additional care with paid neonatal care leave
• Requiring employers to ensure that all tips, gratuities, and service charges received must be paid to workers in full
• Offering pregnant women and new parents greater protection against redundancy
• Entitling unpaid carers to a period of unpaid leave to support those most in need
• Providing millions of employees with a day one right to request flexible working and a greater say over when, where, and how they work