Protecting workers: The end of zero-hours contracts

While the Government appears reluctant to support legislation governing gratuities in the service industry, it has pushed through sweeping changes in employment law.

The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act which comes into force on Monday, will improve the security and predictability of working hours for those on insecure contracts by granting them more rights and protections.

It will see the end of zero-hour contracts, except in limited circumstances, force employers to provide five core terms of contract within a month of employment and provide payment for employees not required to work on a certain week.

What is worrying is that a survey carried out by employment law consultancy Peninsula Ireland has revealed that 38% of employers are unaware of the new provisions even though those who break them face fines of up to €5,000 or up to a year in jail or both. Directors and certain officers of a corporate employer may be made individually liable.

Those employers who continue in blissful ignorance may learn about their new responsibilities the hard way.