To not work notice on zero hours contract?

[SugarMouse1]

I currently work for minimum wage on a zero hours contract for about 35 hours per week.
However, times such as Easter when students are back from uni, my hours get reduced to only 20, and after travel costs I'm better off on the dole!
I've been offered a six month contract on much better money/conditions elsewhere.
However, I have to start this week, and my current job requires 1 month notice.
I'd like to stay on good terms because I want to keep free gym membership and be able to d occasional work.

Help, what should I do?

Lauren that's great that you are using that kind of contract fairly but its not just a matter of other employers "taking the mick" Its because of that "taking the mick" that many people on zero hours contracts are having to use food banks.

I have heard the horror stories too with contracts like this, it works well for some people as like I said they get over 12% of the hourly rate on top in lieu of hol pay so they tend to save it up and 'cash it in' for a lump some at Xmas

I'm zero hours, but as my agency would actually like me to work 24/7/365 it helps to be able to tell them to bugger off occasionally.

The rule of thumb is a week's notice of a "duvet day" is courteous, 3 days is doable, under 24 hours and you'd better provide proof of emergency.

Zero hours contract exploiting my daughter.
My 19 year old just got a job as a care assistant for a home care company. She's on a gap year and due to start mental health nursing at uni in Sep.
Her employer hasn't given her a copy of the contract so I can't see what she's signed but to me she is being exploited.
She has been told that she has to do every job that is offered. She ifilled out a form when she started showing her availability and being completely available all week and they are trying to say this is a legally binding document and therefore means she has agreed to be on 24 hour 7 day a week unpaid standby. They were literally giving her jobs on the same day and telling her she had to do them because she had said she is available.
She is being told that she can only take 2 weeks holiday despite it being zero hours so surely she could simply say she is working zero hours for a week if she wants?
They say she is bound by her contract to work whenever they tell her. Some days she is having jobs at 6.30am then having unpaid gaps throughout the day till 11pm at night.
My question is is this legal and can they tell her she can't turn work down?
Next week she needs Thursday off. As she hadn't yet been given a Rota she emailed them to say she was unavailable. They said that it was too late as the rota had been done and she had to work. She still hasn't seen it!
I suspect they are short of staff but I am so frustrated by what they are telling my daughter and she is so shy she won't argue. They are in essence telling her that because she said she is completely available they own her and she has no rights over her own life. Please advise!

Ring acas

Have you accepted shifts, OP?

This is a Zombie thread.