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Report calls for greater certainty for employees on low hour contracts

Trade unions have welcomed a report on zero hour and 'if and when' contracts in Ireland, but busi...
Newstalk
Newstalk

19.52 3 Nov 2015


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Report calls for greater certa...

Report calls for greater certainty for employees on low hour contracts

Newstalk
Newstalk

19.52 3 Nov 2015


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Trade unions have welcomed a report on zero hour and 'if and when' contracts in Ireland, but businesses are saying the recommendations are unworkable.

The report found that there is no extensive use of Zero Hour contracts in Ireland, but there is a problem with the use of 'if and when' contracts, in which employees work non-guaranteed hours but, unlike zero hour contracted employees, are not contractually obliged to work when they are scheduled for a shift.

The report found that "there is a lack of clarity around the employment status of those who work only if and when hours which may raise questions over the extent such workers are protected by employment legislation."

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The use of 'if and when' contracts was most prevalent in the accommodation/food and retail sectors, with 5.3% of employees in Ireland working with constantly variable hours. Life on these type on contracts was found to create difficulties in managing the work and family life balance, predicting income and accessing social welfare benefits.

The report makes several recommendations, including: employees given a contract on their first day of work; an employee is given 72 hours notice fora  shift, and is paid time and a half if they are called into work with less notice; workers who have their shift cancelled with less than 72 hours notice are entitled to compensation.

Trade Unions are welcoming the proposals. 

“The content of the report proves there is no depths some employers won’t go to in order to avoid their obligations to their workers,” said Gerry Light, Mandate Assistant General Secretary.

“What is referred to as ‘If and When’ contracts shows just how insidious some employers can be. These contracts circumvent legislation that protects workers from zero hour contracts because they give a worker the right to refuse hours. In the real world, workers know that if they refuse hours, at best, they may never be offered them again,” he said.

Business organisations have however criticised some of the proposals in the report as unworkable. Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland has said "the reality is that many jobs in the modern economy are contingent on flexibility of employees and employers. We must ensure that our labour market regulation does not become overly rigid and negatively impact the ability of businesses to create jobs.”


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