This Employer Explains Why Zero-Hour Contracts Aren't All Bad

16 July 2017, 08:57 | Updated: 16 July 2017, 09:02

Matt Stadlen July 15th 2017

As zero-hour contracts continue to receive a bad name, this employer is quick to defend them.

As the number of people employed on a zero-hour contract are at a record high, at 910,000, this employer called in to Matt's show to explain how zero-hour contracts can work well.

People who have signed up to these type of contracts are not guaranteed a minimum number of hours of work. 

Zero-hour contracts are mostly used by retailers, restaurants, leisure companies and hotels, it is young workers who are most affected by these terms of employment, which can be exploited.

When Matt expressed his concerns about whether an employee on a zero-hour contract's job is at risk if they are unable to accept the work when it is offered is at risk of never being offered work again by that employer, the caller explained that that's not how his business works. 

He said: "If we've got work available, we'll let you know and if you can take it that's absolutely brilliant, but you have no obligation to take it. You don't have to make yourself available at any particular shift, to any particular hours. 

"And you can work for other people if you like but if we pay you - because we want to make sure it's absolutely formal and legal - and it's great for people who want to show an employment record, it has to be paid through PAYE."

Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn spoke out against zero-hour contracts whilst giving a speech on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury festival. 

He told the crowd that young people should not have to "accept low wages and insecurity as just part of life", and vowed to ban zero-hours contracts.