Zero hours contracts to be restricted in NI under new plans

Zero hours contracts could be tightly restricted in Northern Ireland under fresh proposals announced by Stormont's economy minister.

The changes are planned as part of a major update to employment laws that Caoimhe Archibald intends to bring to the assembly.

She said new legislation would put an end to "exploitative" zero hours contracts and enhance protections for workers.

There will be exemptions for firms that carry out seasonal and casual work that will still be able to employ people using zero hours contracts, the minister said.

The measures were first outlined by her predecessor Conor Murphy last year, but had to go out for public consultation before they could be progressed.

Archibald took over as economy minister in February when Murphy quit Stormont after being elected to the Seanad (Irish Senate).

It is understood that over 190 responses to the consultation were received and it is now expected that the bill could be introduced in the assembly next January.

The minister has written to other executive parties seeking agreement for the bill.

Archibald described the plan as a "balanced approach which will ensure our employment law framework works effectively for both workers and employers in the modern era".

"This is an ambitious package of reforms to employment law which will see the biggest upgrade of our employment legislation since the Good Friday Agreement," she added.

Zero hours contracts allow employers to hire staff with no guarantee of the hours they will work.

The planned changes mean employees will have the right to request a "banded hours" contract, similar to a system in the Republic of Ireland.

The plans would allow employees the right to compensation if shifts are cancelled without adequate notice.

Other measures the department plans to introduce include ensuring tips left to hospitality workers are passed on in full - something that is already in place in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The proposals also include the right to a week's unpaid carers leave in any 12-month period, which would bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK.

Introducing paid carers leave could cost the Stormont budget up to £60m unless a similar scheme is introduced in Great Britain.

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts was among business leaders and trade unions representatives who met the minister on Monday ahead of the announcement in the assembly.

"We are concerned because we're dealing with increased costs for businesses, we're concerned that if they're overly burdened with employment law which restricts their ability to grow and develop we'll have problems, but we're hoping we don't get to that point," he added.

"We want to ensure this legislation works for workers as well as businesses."

Jacquie White, from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, said she welcomed some of the measures that would bring Northern Ireland into line with other parts of the UK but added that there was a lot of detail to consider.