Minimum hours at work?

JKGB

I have a part-time job at a bar but no set hours or days to work (my contract doesn't state any hours either, it just says part-time) but over the past two months I have been regularly sent home after only one or two hours of working due to the bar being very quiet, I'm usually rostered to work five or six hours a day over three days.

I've raised this with my boss as it is usually a shift leader that is sending me home and not her, to which she replied that it's up to the shift leader to use their initiative, and that it's just the nature of the business and I will definitely get more hours during the summer.

I understand that hospitality work can be unpredictable and it's common to have slow days, but I am frustrated that I am having to pay for petrol and parking to get to work (I live in a rural area so there are no buses in the evenings) only to work for a short amount of time.

Do I have any rights in this situation? I'm looking for another job but don't want this to continue in the meantime.

agrinnall

If your contract doesn't stipulate fixed times or a minimum number of hours for each shift worked then no, you have no rights to anything more than they offer you. A different job is your best option, but until then you could try phoning the shift leader before you go in to see how busy it is and decline to take the work if it's not likely to be viable that day.

JKGB

Thanks, I had a suspicion it would be like that, I've just read through the my contract a little more and a couple of times it states 'Part Time workers (Employees that work 12-30 hours per week)', at the beginning my contract says 'You will be employed as a Part Time employee' with no hours next to it. I'm always rostered on for about 16-20 hours a week, does that give any more strength to my case?

suki1964

Afraid not, you are on a ZHC, if they don't need you they send you home

Bar I worked in would do their best to give at least 4 hours esp in you had to travel to get there but at the end of the day, no customers, no income, no need for staff

TBH I wouldn't be relying on that job as sole income, look for something else and then discuss what shift you are available to work