Zero hours contracts are “carefully monitored”

Charities have defended their use of zero-hours contacts, following renewed scrutiny of flexible working arrangements.

An increasing number of third sector organisations admit to employing staff on a zero-hours basis, but most say that they make up a small minority of the workforce and steps are taken to ensure that employees aren’t being exploited.

Rethink Mental Illness is one of the charities which has issued a statement, publicly setting out its position.

A spokesman said: “We monitor the use of these contracts very carefully and currently have less than 10 staff employed on them, making up less than 0.5 per cent of our workforce.

“The staff we employ on these contracts receive the same holiday, sick pay and pension provision as the rest of our workforce.”

A new law came into force in May, banning employers from applying so-called “exclusivity clauses” to zero hours contracts.

The provision, part of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act, aims to prevent employers from prohibiting workers on these types of contracts from carrying out work elsewhere.

For advice on employment and volunteering issues for charities please contact Gemma Ospedale.