I'm not BU am I? Zero hours contract.

[zerohourcontract]

I've just started a bank (zero hours contract) to permanent position. So far so good, they've been ringing me approx once a week asking me if I can do certain shifts. I was at work last Monday and had a look at the rota - nothing for me. I then got a week later asking where I was, I was supposed to be in. With literally a minutes notice I couldn't make it (I have a 2 year old). They told me I was also on the next night which was fine. That night I had a look at the rota and it had a months worth of shifts written down. I am unable to do one shift this weekend, all the others are fine.

I spoke to the manager today to explain and she told me that the new rota has been there for 2 weeks and that it is my responsibility to look at it and swap any shifts I can't make (that I haven't even agreed to!) and that she was 'not impressed' when she had to cover my shift the other night. I explained the shifts were not on the rota when I was last in (a week ago) and got told 'ok, well in future make sure you keep on top of the rota' .

On a zero hours contract, you are not obligated to work any hours, nor are they obligated to give you any hours.

I'm really annoyed as I now look unreliable and I think she was really rude on the phone, I'm hoping she will be in tomorrow so I can speak to her again but AIBU to say not to put my name down unless asking me first?

YANBU. With 0 hr contact they can't just put you down for anything without checking, that's sort of the point of them.

I had a 0 hr contract a while ago, one time they called me over 20 times in a week asking me to do a shift, which I'd already refused. They then got in touch with my partner to ask him to rearrange his plans so I "could be free to pick up the shift". He refused. Then I got a spiel about how I was leaving a person without care because I was too busy looking after my own child

Haven't worked for them since. Some companies think that just because you're 0 hours they can just walk all over you.

Some employers want to own you. It's utterly shit.

That's very bad behaviour on the employers side! You're not psychic! It would be better for the manager to email the rota.

I've worked for years with a zero hours contract. I email two months in advance all the times/days I can work. I also state that i am unable to work outside of the listed hours/days listed due to childcare/commitments. It's took 4 months for my manager to grasp my inflexibility and availability but it works well now. Occasionally I'm asked to work hour shift I can't do and I'll just resend the main email with my availability to remind her.

The flexibility works both ways. They don't employ you if they don't need you. You get to state when you're available and willing to work. It would be different if you were in contracted hours.

Is the rota available online? Do they have a policy about what notice is acceptable for new shifts?

I suspect the rota was changed shortly after you last saw it. I suggest you start taking a photo of the rota when you check it so that you have a record in case this happens again.

I honestly thought she would apologise, I didn't even know what to say I just laughed .

No it's not available online, that would make more sense. Another person saw it on Monday so they can back me up. No idea what their official policy is, even two weeks seems too short to me, some people only work one shift a week.