Settle an argument please!

[ChablisandCrisps]

DH says if you have a zero hours contract and no actual written contract then you don't have to give notice at work (teenage DD), I say you surely do, even if its less than the usual period.

Who is right?

You can't have zero hour contract and not have a contract? There is either a contract in place or not

She was never given a written contact, she is just called when needed

You have a contract as soon as a job offer is accepted even if nobody bothers to write it down.

I don't think giving notice is a legal requirement; after all, she could just turn down any work offered. It would be a good idea to give notice if she needs a reference though.

If her contracted hours are zero, surely she needn’t go in during her notice period at all? As any hours she did would be overtime, which she isn’t obliged to do? I’m with your husband

If she hasn’t signed a contract then there is no contract to fulfil so no she doesn’t need to give notice. But for a reference she should give a week or two.

It just seems so rude to not give notice!

I’m sure your husband is correct. The idea of zero hours is the benefit both employer and employee. They only offer her hours when they need them covered, and she only accepts them when she is available.

Whether you technically need to give notice is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. You give notice because it's the courteous and mature thing to do.

@Indecisive12

If she hasn’t signed a contract then there is no contract to fulfil so no she doesn’t need to give notice. But for a reference she should give a week or two.

This is completey incorrect. You can have a legally enforceable contract without having it in writing or having signed it.

That aside, it's a zero hours contract, why does she think she has to give notice? She can just say no to shifts if she doesn't want them.

Is she moving away or got a different job or something? If so, it would be polite to let the former employer know she won't be accepting shifts from now on.

Of course zero hours employees don't have to give notice! It is one of the few benefits.

If she has no written contact she doesn't have to serve notice, but I would out of politeness and to get a good reference

It’d be pretty rude to just disappear

Legally no notice is required, morally (IMO) it's polite to still give some notice (even just a week) as shifts would need to be covered.

Yes I said 2 weeks at least and she agrees but DH is being a bit of a dick. She has a start date of 9th Feb for her new job so she has plenty of time. Thanks all!

I think that if a business needs a notice period then they shouldn't be using zero hour contracts.
She runs the risk if she gives notice that they won't give her hours from when she tells them.
I'd give them a week's notice max.

Tell your husband to stop trying to control and micromanage your daughter. This is her job and she needs to handle things as she sees fit. He needs to back the hell off.