2 October 2014
Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that the government will "scrap" zero-hours contracts.
Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham this week he said: "When companies employ staff on zero-hours contracts and then stop them from getting work elsewhere, that's not a free market - it is a fixed market.
"In a Britain that everyone is proud to call home, people are employed, they are not used. Those exclusive zero-hours contracts that left people unable to build decent lives for themselves - we will scrap them."
His words follow business secretary Vince Cable's launch of a consultation in August calling on business, unions and individuals to help identify and close potential loopholes in plans to ban the use of exclusivity clauses in zero-hours contracts.
Heidi Thompson, HR consultant at legal advisory firm International Workplace, said: "There has been a lot of bad press regarding zero hours in the press recently, however, they can play an important role for employers and employees when used correctly.
"Where problems occur is when employers use them incorrectly to the detriment of employees. This clarity promised by David Cameron around their use is welcomed and would be beneficial to ensure that employees are not prevented from working with other organisations. This creates an even playing field for both parties and allows the true benefit - which is flexibility - to be realised."