Not getting contracted hours, is it illegal?

So I started working at a fast food restaurant a few weeks ago and I'm really ****ing pissed off.

I left another job for this job because I wasn't getting enough hours. Well now, I am in the same boat as I was before.

I applied to the job, had a telephone interview and the manager asked why I want to leave my previous job, to which I told her that it's because I am not getting enough hours and that I want to work at least 30 every week, but preferably more. She didn't tell me this was not going to happen, which I think is petty *****y, I have had interiews before where we discussed hours and the employers were always very honest about working hours when asked about it, some even told me not to leave my previous job if it's because of hours because they cannot guarantee them either etc. This employer just said 'fair enough' when I said I wish to work full time hours and and that's it.

So then when I signed my contract this employer went on about how unfair zero hours contracts are to employees and how this restaurant doesnt use them and then gave me a 16 hours contract. Now correct me if I am wrong, but if you give someone a contract with 16 hours, isn't it illegal not to give them at least 16 hours?

Before I started, I could only hope I would get *actual* full time hours, since this is a fast food restaurant but I thought, well at least she gave me a 16 hour contract, I will definitely get 16 hours a week. But nope.

When I started work, the first thing I did was look at the rota in the staff room to see how many hours everyone is getting to see how many hours I can expect to get. This was a red flag, as nobody aside from team leaders and managers get actual full time hours, full time staff seem to be averaging about 25 hours a week and the few weeks I have been there, their rota seems to vary wildly every week, one week people get 15-2 hours less than the next week...

I have started off on less than 16 hours a week and working less than 10 this week...I have rent to pay, and need money to eat, I am a full time worker so I cannot just sit around at home and work less than 10 hours. How do they expect to retain workers if they give full time employees 8 hours? Of the other girls I started with got over 20 hours in her first week and then FOUR hours the next.

The manager seems to have no concept of 'part time" and 'full time', as she just gives everyone random hours, sometimes part times get more than full timers...

rant over....

So now I have no other choice but to look for another job yet again. But I'm just wondering, isn't what my employer doing illegal?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

gadgfan

I don't think it's illegal. I worked for a company years ago that did this during their quiet period. I was contraacted to work 39 hours per week but would only get about 30 hours during the quiet time. Apparently they were, according to them, within their rights as they can't have people in to do something that just isn't there.

Reply 2

Korp

That is an answer for your questionsI have similar problem so asked acas.If you have guaranteed hours and you are ready, able and willing to work them you should still be paid for the time even if you have not worked it.You may want to write either a letter or email to your employer requesting to the outstanding amount and give them a time frame to pay you by.If this does not resolve the matter you may want to begin Early Conciliation. This is a service where Acas speaks to you and your employer with the aim of resolving the issue before it goes to an employment tribunal