Boss wanting 8 weeks notice on a zero hours contract

[Mermaidlori]

I'm currently working in a job a couple of days a week on a zero hours contract with no notice period stated. I've just been verbally offered my dream job in a hospital to progress in my career and gain professional qualifications. I'm waiting on the offer in writing to come through this week.
I stupidly gave my boss the heads up that I would be leaving as the nature of my job means I have clients booked in a few weeks in advance. I wanted to let my boss know with plenty of time in advance so she could cover my shifts. I explained I would give 4 weeks notice as soon as my offer comes this week.
My boss has now demanded that I work 8 weeks notice and that I'm letting the team and clients down if I don't. My boss has been rude and snappy to me every time I've seen her.
On a side note my boss give me a days notice if a venue I'm working at won't be running and I lose the pay. AIBU giving 4 weeks notice?

The NHS can be pretty slow to sort all their employment checks, so I wouldn't rely on the new job being sorted quickly!

If it's NHS wait for a start date.

They can take months to get a start date sorted, even after identity checks/Occy health/DBS is sorted.

So be a bit careful

Thank you all for the congratulations. I think best bet is to ignore my boss for now and to wait for a definite offer in writing and checks to be completed and then decide what to do about notice. I took this zero hours job as it was good experience in an area I want to work in and it has helped me to get the job at the hospital.

I had this, no contract, then they were demanding notice, they got a week. Complaining at me, I pointed it out, and he shut up.

Dbs pretty quick these days, all electronic!

The thing is you could say you'll work a months notice, tell your new employer you'll be working a month's notice for your boss to turn around and give you no hours out of spite. Don't feel like you owe them anything, if you (and your colleagues) were valued they would treat you right.

Is it the sort of job you could do some hours at the weekend for extra £££ whilst you have the overlap that comes with starting a new role if your new role on Mon-Fri

Legally you don't have to give any notice. One week would be considered good of you. Your boss is being stupid.

This is what I'm worried about as well. I'm worried that my boss will turn around and give me no hours after giving my notice period as they are in mood about it all.
I work in foot health but I'm not insured to work privately and only in my work environment. My new job will be training to become a Podiatrist

I'm sorry to say DBS checks are taking quite a long time in some parts of the country at the moment. About six weeks if you have moved around and lived in London.

Tell him you're leaving in eight weeks then, and just quit early if your DBS comes early. There's nothing he can do about it and he's being a dick.

Never ever tell your old employer until you have signed with your new one. That horse has bolted, so focus on protecting your position. Your employer can't force you to work eight weeks, so let her schedule away and you give a week's notice once the paperwork comes in and you have your start date.

It took my NHS Trust 3 months to go through all of the HR process and that was supposed to be fast tracked due to the urgency of them needing staff asap. They are notoriously slow.

Sorry but if they wanted notice gen they need to not give 0 hour contracts out.

Do not give notice until you discuss a start date with your new employer. Is the new job within the NHS? If so, they can take a long time to do checks. I was once offered a job in May but didn't get a start date until mid-September.

Yanbu - a zero hours contract means that you commit to keep zero hours available for them and they commit to giving you zero hours of work. Any any work offered or accepted over and above zero is by mutual agreement. This is why they can cancel your work and not pay you whenever they see fit. If your contract doesn't specify a minimum number of hours you must commit to keeping available and doesn't specify a notice period then you owe no notice at all.

Indeed they do. I have a zero hours contract and it works well for me, but my boss sounds far more reasonable than yours.

But you are under no obligation to take hours offered, so you could give 8 week notice, and just not be available for the last couple of weeks.

They don't get all the perks of a zero hours contract and giving their employees no rights but expect you to give them more...absolutely not !!

@Mermaidlori here you go (pretty sure you’re being very generous with 4 weeks if nothing is written specifically but it is all on this page, assuming you are in UK):
https://www.brighthr.com/articles/end-of-contract/notice-periods/zero-hour-contract-notice-period/

Your boss is reaping what she has sown.

I'd be, very professioanlly, explaining that this is the downside of using zero hour contracts

Remind the cheeky hypocritical cunt that zero hours works both ways

I would also just be aware how slow nhs is . I got a job in the nhs a few years ago. The whole process was going to take so long I got a job elsewhere ..

My D’s had basic DBS turn around in 10 days but will vary from area to area . I assume you have a recent one which will help the process

How much notice do they give staff if they lay them off? I bet it’s not 8 weeks

Zero hours contract means no notice from either party is required. Stick to your guns, you boss sounds like a toxic arsehole

Unless you have some sort of non-compete or other restrictions on working another job, agree to 8 weeks notice. Hand that notice in the day before you start your new job, but turn down all the hours she offers during that 8 weeks.

Do not, at this point, pay any attention to your feelings of responsibility for the business or the clients. Your boss is treating you badly as an employee and you need to look after your own career, not her business or her clients.

I would definitely not give 4 weeks notice if you think she will stop offering you work during that time.