Zero Hours Contract And Period Of Notice.

[alavahalf]

My daughter is between jobs and has taken up a zero hours contract with Amazon rather than sitting around.
Each day she turns up at Amazon and does 4 hours work. She has had a number of offers from other employers to start immediately.When I asked why she didn't walk away from Amazon and take up one of the other job offers .. she said" she has to give one weeks notice" ... my understanding of a zero hours contract was . The employer does not have to offer any hours of work and the employee doesn't have to accept any hours offered !
Is this corrdct ?

[alavahalf]

Or .. 'correct'

[pixie374]

Yes, she could just not pick up any further shifts. But I would agree that a week's notice would be polite- and useful if she would like a reference from them.

[alavahalf]

This job wont be going on her cv.

[fiction-factory]

I am on zero hours and I can decide whether to be available or not each day, but I have heard of others with much tighter restrictions and even restrictions from working elswhere. It depends on the contract and if she is doing 4 hours every day maybe it's not exactly zero hours. I'd walk away though if I were her and someone I wanted to work for offered me an immediate start on a 'take it now or leave it' basis- although i'm sure most employers understand about having to waita week.

[pixie374]

She can just not agree to further shifts. If she agrees them a week in advance, say. She needs to let them know rather than just not turning up. It depends how far in advance she has agreed them.

[ummmm]

I used to work zero contracted hours and it was down to me to book my shifts. If I didn't want work I didn't book shifts.

[pixie374]

I had a zero hours contract and we got a weekly rota through. I gave them 4 weeks notice, although a week would have been fine. I explained to my next employer and they were relieved I didn't walk out of jobs with no notice, so it wasn't a bad idea.

[fiction-factory]

yes, it may be zero hours on teh basis that they can't always guarantee work and she doesn't have toa ccept it, but work is allocated at the start of a week and both sides commit to set shifts. I'm on zero hours and don't have to make myself available- but once I commit to going somewhere for a few days I would not pull out of that agreement. Having said that, these contracts are my chosen way of working so i wouldn't want to damage working relationships. In your daughter's case I doubt there would be any comeback if she just walked away.

[alavahalf]

That sounds okay ... you accept work for a week in advance from a rota and I suppose you could advise them that you are leaving after that week.
That in theory could be your weeks notice.. ?

[fiction-factory]

Yes, as long as you don't commit or haven't already commited to working the following week too.

[pixie374]

Yes, exactly.

[alavahalf]

Many thanks all round for the answers !

[sapelesam]

I don't know why she hasn't put Amazon on her CV, but as an employer I don't like CV gaps. I would rather somebody told me they were on a zero hours contract rather than be left thinking they were watching YouTube or updating social media.

[fiction-factory]

I agree about putting the job on the CV. Employers do not like gaps on a CV, although if it is just a couple of weeks you can usually hide it as dates on CV job histories can be rounded to the nearest month anyway

[Old_Geezer]

These immediate offers from other employers. They couldn't delay a week if asked ? Or are they other zero offer type jobs which may not give a regular 4 hours a day ?

[alavahalf]

I thought we had put this one to bed, not to worry ..
The reason I wouldn't put Amazon on the cv is, the rest of the cv is glowing with continuous employment from leaving school. Developing from floor level to management with each and every job.
I suppose 3/4 weeks doing a number of 'zero hour' jobs shows that she is adaptable, versatile and a grafter. Personally I think, " yes this period should be mentioned on a cv, but only as 'agency work between jobs'. If at interview stage she was asked about this period, then the truth can be told, no problem.
.. and yes OG she has had 4 offers of employment, all part time and all 4 are willing to wait.
.. thanks to everyone who has answered and I now understand about zero hours contract, the rota and the obligation that both parties have. It's no basis for a longstanding relationship, but it is what it is.