The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023, which received Royal Assent on 18 September 2023, will give workers the right to request a more predictable working pattern.
When this new law comes into force all workers, including those on zero hours contracts and agency workers, will have the right to request a predictable working pattern if their existing working pattern lacks certainty in respect of the hours or times worked.
They could ask for a minimum number of guaranteed hours, for example, or clarity over which days of the week they will be asked to work.
It will also apply to those on fixed term contracts that last less than 12 months who will be allowed to ask for a longer fixed term or to go permanent.
Before a request can be made, 26 weeks’ service is likely to be needed.
Once a worker has made such a request, their employer will be required to notify them of its decision within one month.
Employers will be able to refuse a request but only on one of 6 prescribed grounds such as detrimental impact on ability to meet customer demand. Acas will produce a new Code of Practice to provide guidance on making and handling requests. It is expected that this new right will come into force in approximately a year.
