Company wants me to sign contract for 0 hours

Unreal1ty

Hi everyone,
Just looking for a little advice. I work in the hotel business and last night staff were handed a new contract that was zero hours. They will call us when we need us to work basically. They have basically told us if we do not sign it we may be laid off. Now with the Government offering to pay 80% of wages for workers who cannot work I am wondering where i stand with all this. If i sign this zero hour contract it is possible i'll only be offers low hours or worse none at all and i cannot survive on this. Can someone give me some advice to where i stand with all this please?

justwhat

Is this a large hotel group? who is the hotel group out of interest ?
i know of a hotel group that have laid off all part time staff. Full time staff have been asked to cut hours.
They can do what they are attempting to do

Unreal1ty

They area large hotel group yes, with hotels in England, America and other places across Europe. I just have no idea i will survive if they only call me in for say 2 shifts a week.. Do i need to sign this contract amendment? 

justwhat

no you don't have to sign it, but they could pay you off. They cannot be made to take the governments offer of paying 80% of your wages.
i really don't understand why many companies would take the offer for people they could replace easily (not saying you are one)

calcotti

Look at whether you may be entitled to Universal Credit https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/
There are benefit calculators here https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

justwhat

You also don't say what your hours were or how long you have been there. What about redundancy?

justwhat

Redundancy pay

You’ll normally be entitled to statutory redundancy pay if you’re an employee and you’ve been working for your current employer for 2 years or more.

You’ll get:

• half a week’s pay for each full year you were under 22
• one week’s pay for each full year you were 22 or older, but under 41
• one and half week’s pay for each full year you were 41 or older

Length of service is capped at 20 years.

Unreal1ty

@justwhat I have been there over 4 years now and worked 40hours + a week, usually more like 50. They have offered no redundancy. I do not understand why they wouldn't take the government offer? They pay 80% of your employees wages, what is the downside. I assume the employer doesn't have to pay the other 20% and nothing comes out of their pocket for wages.

justwhat

lol chancers (i assume you mean contracted 40hrs)
they have to pay the other 20% , so you sit and do nothing they have to pay 20% of your wages
i know what i would do ..go to the gov website take the redundancy if they need to give it .

Unreal1ty

What do you mean chancer? If it was upto me id work my full hours.. Id also accept the 80% of pay forget the extra 20% to stay home. I dont want to take redundancy and get just over a months pay and be out of a job.

justwhat

They should offer you redundancy if they are legally obliged. they should not attempt to mug you off and get you to sign a 0 hour contract waiving your rites to redundancy, (IF thats what they are doing they are chancers)
0 contract is exactly that guaranteed 0 hours. for how long 3 months end of the year , Who knows. And there is no guarantee you will ever get you origanal contract back.
just sign it then if you are willing to except 0 hours for X amount of time.