Jersey zero hour contract use concerns employment expert

David Witherington says employers are abusing zero hour contracts

Some bosses in Jersey are misusing contracts that do not say how many hours staff work each week, according to an employment expert.

Zero hour contracts are used when there is a regular need for an employee but uncertainty about available work.

David Witherington, director of the Jersey Advisory and Conciliation Service, said some employers were not using them properly.

David Warr from the Chamber of Commerce said they were essential.

He said: "It is impossible for businesses to have people employed and paying wages out to individuals when there is nothing to do. That is the point of these contracts.

"Having said that one does not want to see these contracts abused."

Mr Witherington said some employers believed it protected them from having to give notice or redundancy pay.

He said they could not just tell their staff there was no more work.