Zero hour contracts as a source of job insecurity amongst low paid hourly workers

Report

This report demonstrates that 'zero hours' contracts can be problematic for reasons which have not received enough attention. Moreover, other mechanisms which induce variability in hours and schedules, in order to achieve employer induced flexible scheduling, are equally problematic. Therefore, the public discussion of zero hours contracts must be broadened out to consider problems resultant from wider instances of unpredictable scheduling. Zero hours contracts and other mechanisms of schedule flexibility induce high levels of unpredictable variability into workers' schedules. This unpredictable variability generates job insecurity by engendering uncertainty and worry about future changes to hours, income and schedules. We term this form of job insecurity schedule insecurity. This insecurity often results in feelings of powerlessness and an inability to plan one's life, and in many cases leads to an anxious, stressed and depressed mental state.

Authors: Wood, A; Burchell, B

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Individual in the Labour Market Research Group, Cambridge University
• Host title: Report submitted March 2014 to the UK Government Department of Business Innovation and Skills Consultation on Zero Hour Contracts and presented at the International Labour Process Conference
• Journal: Individual in the Labour Market Research Group
• Publication date: 2014-03-01
• Keywords: SBTMR