New anti-exclusivity law for zero hour contracts

A ban on exclusivity clauses from zero hour contracts have come into force.

Under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill, employers are not allowed to stop their employees from working for anyone else.

“Zero hours contracts can provide important flexibility for store owners and employees,” said James Lowman, chief executive of ACS. “But we support plans to remove exclusivity clauses from zero hour contracts and will work with retailers on the best employment options for their staff.”

More than 700,000 people are on zero-hour contracts, an increase of 100,000 on last year according to the ONS. However, the recent ban has been criticised by employment lawyers who claim that staff are still not protected. They claim that employers are not obligated to provide regular hours for employees on the agreements and that it has a negative impact on the working environment.

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