Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill — Clause 145 — Compensation and Offer of New Contracts for Some Workers on Zero Hours Contracts — 19 Nov 2014 at 14:45

The majority of MPs voted against specifically requiring compensation, and the offer of a fixed hours contract, for certain workers on zero hours contracts.

MPs were considering the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill^[1]. The motion rejected by the majority of MPs taking part in this vote was:

• That the amendment be made.

The rejected amendment in question was:

• Amendment 10, page 134, line 36, at end insert—
• ‘(1A) Regulations made under section 27B, subsection (1), shall include provisions—
• (a) giving zero hours workers the right to be awarded financial compensation of amounts, and in circumstances, to be determined by the Secretary of State;
• (b) giving employment tribunals powers to enforce their adjudications, including the award of any applicable compensation as referred to in section (1A)(a), or imposition of any applicable penalty, in cases involving zero hours workers; and
• (c) imposing an obligation on an employer to offer a fixed hours contract when a worker has worked regular hours for a continuous period, or series of continuous periods, of employment, to be determined by the Secretary of State.”

Had the amendment not been rejected the above text would have been added to Clause 145 of the Bill^[2] titled Exclusivity Terms Unenforceable in Zero Hours Contracts, which provided for amendments to The Employment Rights Act 1996, and regulations, intended to outlaw zero-hours contracts prohibiting a worker from working under another arrangement.

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill
• [2] Clause 145 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill as at the time of the vote

Debate in Parliament | Source |