The government is proposing extending the ban on exclusivity clauses for workers on zero hour contracts, to include those earning below £123 per week, being the lower earnings limit. This represents about 13 hours per week and is estimated to affect 1.5m workers throughout the UK.
In 2015, exclusivity clauses were banned for workers on zero hours contracts, where employers are not obliged to provide any minimum working hours and the worker is not obliged to accept any work offered. The change provided more workers with the option to take on additional work, with the number of people on zero hours contracts having a second job rising.
Legislation for these reforms will be laid before Parliament later this year. The proposals follow the conclusion of a consultation launched by government in December 2020, which sought views on extending the ban on exclusivity clauses beyond zero hours contracts.
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