Over to you: zero-hours contracts poll

04 November 2014 -

Never far from media coverage, these types of hiring agreements have hit the headlines once again with last week's settlement of the Sports Direct case. But how do you feel about them?

Colin Marrs

Last week, retailer Sports Direct agreed to be clearer about the terms and conditions of job roles it offers under zero-hours contracts. The agreement was made in a settlement reached with former employee Zahera Gabriel-Abraham, after she launched a case claiming sex discrimination, unfair treatment and breach of holiday rights. The company has agreed to clarify the wording of job adverts and company policies.

Zero-hours contracts have recently been a topic of hot political debate, with the Office for National Statistics estimating around 1.4 million workers are on such terms. Labour leader Ed Miliband has pledged to make employers offer staffers contracts with fixed hours if they work regularly for the same employer for a year. Earlier this year, Business Secretary Vince Cable announced plans to ban exclusivity clauses, which prevent zero-hours employees from working for more than one employer.

The Confederation of British Industry has signalled its support for these types of contracts, which it says provide “opportunities for work” and enable people to “build careers”. Let us know what you think about the value of zero-hours contracts in our poll below — just tick your choice and click the “vote” button: