Active discussions

Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

Original poster

Zero hours contract

9 replies

ImaSpringChicken · 27/05/2026 19:23

DS is having a year out and working for the National Trust on what they call a 'flexible hours' contract. The contracted hours are zero.The contract ssys that the NT dont have to offer him any hours but if they do, employees are obliged to accept them. He has worked 5 days a week since xmas and wants a few days off mid June but they srr refusing sny staff time off.
Is this legal?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 27/05/2026 19:39

Have they said when he can take leave?
They are allowed to specify when leave can and can't be taken but need to allow him to take the leave he's entitled to

herbalteabag · 27/05/2026 19:44

I don't think it's legal, he's entitled to a certain amount of days per year and some has to be allowed to be taken by June, perhaps half of it.

DelilahBucket · 27/05/2026 19:45

On a zero hours contract staff are not obliged to take hours offered. In fact, they have the right to refuse them without consequence.

For holiday leave, what does it say in his contract about when leave can be taken? For example I own a shop and don't allow annual leave in December as it is extremely busy for Christmas, but it is specified in contracts.

rwalker · 27/05/2026 19:49

dementedpixie · 27/05/2026 19:39

Have they said when he can take leave?
They are allowed to specify when leave can and can't be taken but need to allow him to take the leave he's entitled to

a lot of zero hours you don’t get leave you
you get it paid as you go at an extra 12.5% on your hourly rate

zero hours you can just decline shifts it works both ways he c as n say no and they don’t have to offer him any

Original poster
ImaSpringChicken · 27/05/2026 20:02

To clarify. I am notvaskingvabout annual leave. Justbthe fight go decline to work certain days with 3 weeks notice.

OP posts:
user1471538275 · 27/05/2026 20:03

What is legal and what actually happens are two very different things.

He legally can refuse hours, but the 'without consequences' is unlikely - what usually happens is that the employer punishes them by offering fewer hours or none at all.

dementedpixie · 27/05/2026 20:38

As I said the employer can specify when leave can be taken. They have to allow him to take what he has accrued but can say no to holidays at specific times of the year.

Zero hours workers are still entitled to statutory holidays and pay and pay is worked out from the number of hours they have worked

Original poster
ImaSpringChicken · 28/05/2026 09:21

user1471538275 · 27/05/2026 20:03

What is legal and what actually happens are two very different things.

He legally can refuse hours, but the 'without consequences' is unlikely - what usually happens is that the employer punishes them by offering fewer hours or none at all.

They are very shortstaffed, so I don't think they arein a position to cut anyone's hours in tbe short term anyway.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page