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Request

Subject: Zero Hours Contracts

Reference: WBC-FOI-00580

I write to request information about your use of zero hours contracts in the tax year 2022/2023 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

For clarification:

  • By zero hours contract, I refer to the definition provided by section 27A of the Employment Rights Act 1996: "a contract for employment or other worker's contract under which

    - the undertaking to or perform work or services is an undertaking to do so conditionally on the employer making work available or services available to the worker, and

    - there is no certainty that any such work or services will be made available to the worker."

  • By minimum hours contract, I mean a contract where the employer guarantees a small number of hours work, say 1 to 10 hours a week, which can be topped up by more hours if available.

    1. What other terminology to do you use for contracts or arrangements meeting the above legal definition of zero hours contract?

    2. How many workers/employees do you currently directly employ on zero hours contracts? What is the breakdown of these figures according to:

    (a) sex: Male, Female, Other, Prefer not to say

    (b) age: 16-17, 18-20, 21-22, 23-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+

    (c) race:

    White - English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British Irish

    White - Gypsy or Irish Traveller

    White - any other background

    Asian or Asian British - Indian

    Asian or Asian British - Pakistani

    Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi

    Asian or Asian British - Chinese

    Asian or Asian British - Any other background

    Black or Black British - Caribbean

    Black or Black British - African

    Black or Black British - Any other background

    Mixed - White and Black Caribbean

    Mixed - White and Black African

    Mixed - White and Asian

    Mixed - Any other mixed background

    Other ethnic group

    Prefer not to say

    3. What is the minimum, maximum and average number of hours per week carried out by zero hours staff?

    4. Do you have a policy to offer zero hours shifts with notice, pay for zero hours shifts cancelled at short notice and to offer a fixed hours contracts to zero hours staff based on actual hours worked?

    5. How many workers/employees do you currently indirectly employ on zero hours contracts via agencies, contractors or sub-contractors? If this data is not available, please provide the names of the agencies, contractors or sub-contractors that you use to employ workers indirectly.

    6. How many workers/employees do you currently directly employ on minimum hours contracts or via agencies, contractors or sub-contractors?

    7. How many workers/employees in total do you currently employ? What is the breakdown of these figure according to same breakdown as Question 2? - please note this question concerns your entire workforce, not just zero hours staff.

Response

Full Disclosure - 24 February 2023

Request for Information - WBC-FOI-00580 - Zero Hours Contracts

I refer to your request for information received on 27 January 2023. Please see the information below and attached in response to your request: -

1. What other terminology to do you use for contracts or arrangements meeting the above legal definition of zero hours contract?

Casual members of staff.

2. How many workers / employees do you currently directly employ on zero hours contracts? What is the breakdown of these figures according to:

(a) sex: Male, Female, Other, Prefer not to say

(b) age: 16-17, 18-20, 21-22, 23-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+

(c) race:

White - English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British Irish

White - Gypsy or Irish Traveller

White - any other background

Asian or Asian British - Indian

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani

Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi

Asian or Asian British - Chinese

Asian or Asian British - Any other background

Black or Black British - Caribbean

Black or Black British - African

Black or Black British - Any other background

Mixed - White and Black Caribbean

Mixed - White and Black African

Mixed - White and Asian

Mixed - Any other mixed background

Other ethnic group

Prefer not to say

Please see attached spreadsheet. NB: The calculation has been based on casuals actively working and being paid in the last 13 months.

3. What is the minimum, maximum and average number of hours per week carried out by zero hours staff?

No minimum or maximum number of hours required by staff. The calculation below of the average hours worked is based on the total hours worked by the 522 active casual members of staff over the last 13 months:

Avg. hours per person per week

Total Hours worked in the last 13 months 161329.8

Number of casual workers 522

Avg hours per person over 13 months 309.0609

Avg hours per person per month 23.77392

Avg weeks in month 4.333

Avg hours per person per week 5.486289

4. Do you have a policy to offer zero hours shifts with notice, pay for zero hours shifts cancelled at short notice and to offer a fixed hours contracts to zero hours staff based on actual hours worked?

Local arrangements apply, there is an overarching principle that where there are regular patterns of work part-time or full-time contracts are issued.

5. How many workers / employees do you currently indirectly employ on zero hours contracts via agencies, contractors or sub-contractors? If this data is not available, please provide the names of the agencies, contractors or sub-contractors that you use to employ workers indirectly.

Please note that this data is not held by Wandsworth Council, as agency workers are engaged via Adecco.

6. How many workers/employees do you currently directly employ on minimum hours contracts or via agencies, contractors or sub-contractors?

Data on contractors is not held.

7. How many workers / employees in total do you currently employ? What is the breakdown of these figure according to same breakdown as Question 2? - please note this question concerns your entire workforce, not just zero hours staff.

Please see attached spreadsheet.

I hope this information meets your needs. If you do not understand the information provided or wish to discuss anything further, please feel free to contact us.

Please note, all material provided by the Council in response to your request for information is for your personal, non-commercial use. The Council reserves all rights in the copyright of the information provided. Any unauthorised copying or adaptation of the information without express written confirmation from The Council may constitute an infringement of copyright. Any intention to re-use this information commercially may require consent. Please forward any requests for re-use of information to the FOI officer.

If you are dissatisfied with the information provided in relation to your request, you may make representations to the Information and Transparency Manager. Any such request for an internal review should be made within 40 days from today's date. Correspondence should be addressed to: FOIW@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision at: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

Regards,

FOI and DPA Officer

FOIW@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Attachments

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Please note that our responses were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of release, and have not subsequently been updated. This information should be considered an historical record only.