Government backs predictable working pattern bill
06 February 2023
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has backed a private members bill looking to make predictable working patterns a right for workers on zero-hours contracts.
The bill will be subject to parliamentary approval, but once in force workers will have the right to request a more predictable working pattern. This will combat the “One-sided flexibility” of zero-hours contracts and allow workers to get on with their daily lives.
The right to request will likely be given after 26 weeks of employment, however, as the workers affected will be irregular workers, they will not have needed to work continuously. Similar to flexible working requests, employers will have the option to refuse on specific grounds such as the burden of additional costs or insufficient work at requested times. Workers will also be able to make two such requests a year.
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