zero hour contract - notice period

[autumnroundthecorner]

Help!

I work part time, supposedly 12 hours a week. This has been sneaking up recently, but stupidly I haven't challenged it and I know it's august and we are short staffed and so on.

But next week, I have been put down for 29 hours - this is FAR too much! So much so that I will hand my notice in rather than do those 29 hours.

I am wondering about my notice period: given that it is zero hours, can it be zero notice (I would give as much notice as possible, but ...)

Any advice? Thanks.

You should still have a contract though which would state the notice period - I have been offered a zero hours contract role and the notice period is stated to be one week for the first 6 months and one month thereafter but I am not obliged to accept and they are not obliged to offer any work. What does yours say?

I've no idea I have lost it!

ring HR and ask them!

My zero hours contract required one week's notice.

Can't you just say you can only do X hours?

Were you leaving your job anyway?

That's definitely my first choice (saying Oi, too many hours, that is) but IF they say no, tough, I will resign.

If they say it's 29 hours or else, and you're prepared to resign anyway, please add this story to Unite's collection of information about zero hours contracts: Say no to zero hours contracts (scroll down to the survey).

The employers and govt keep trotting out the line that zero hours contracts are great because they offer workers flexibility and choice. Which is clearly bonkers if you're getting no say in how many hours you work or when.

Alternatively, 38 degrees are pushing Vince Cable for an investigation into how companies use zero hours: secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/properly-investigate-zero-hours-contracts#petition

And yes, I think legally you can say you are offering them zero hours next week - but do read your contract first.

To be honest the working conditions are rubbish - it's a worthy job though, so I don't want to leave them in the lurch. But 29 hours

The zero hours contract which I have been offered contains at least half a dozen totally unacceptable clauses such as they are under no obligation to offer me any work but I cannot take any other paid employment without their prior consent - which I consider unreasonable and also unfeasible as I might wish to do temp work which might be immediate and they also say they reserve the right to change any clauses in my contract without my consent including salary - the more I think about the contract the more I am minded to turn it down rather than try and have it ammended. To reserve the right to amend my contract at their discretion renders it fairly pointless to have a contract. It is a zero hours contract, I am quoted an hourly rate and yet there is a clause saying I will work additional hours for no further money - er how is this supposed to work then - surely if zero is the base line, any hours are "additional" - rant over sorry

I know we get a LOT of people starting and leaving within a week including people who don't even bother letting them know - just don't show up.

I don't know why I am worried, I just am!

Brunette that's awful! I'm down to work from 6:30 am until 11 at night on Saturday which I think might be illegal?

Sorry to bump this

Sorry to bump this but I am wondering if I can say tomorrow my availability is zero and there isn't anything they can do? Is that right?