As we approach World Day of Decent Work we’re proud to announce that we’ve become accredited as Living Hours employers.
Since April 2020 we’ve been a Living Wage employer, paying our employees the real Living Wage – currently £9.50 in the UK or £10.85 in London. This new accreditation means we will also provide them with a guaranteed and stable minimum number of working hours each week.
The Living Hours programme sets a new standard for employers seeking to go beyond the Living Wage in their commitment to decent work. As an accredited employer, we’ve committed to providing at least four weeks’ notice for every shift, with guaranteed payment if shifts are cancelled within this notice period. We’ll also provide a guaranteed minimum of 16 working hours every week (unless the worker requests otherwise), and a contract that accurately reflects hours worked.
The new Living Hours standard reflects the fact that since the Living Wage campaign began in 2001, the shape of low-paid work has changed. There has been a well-documented rise in insecurity, with over 5 million workers in low-paid and insecure work on the eve of the pandemic. Since the pandemic began insecure work has become more prevalent among both key workers, who have kept the economy going, and low-paid service workers whose jobs have been most disrupted by lockdowns.
National president, Marc Besford, has said that “It’s time to put an end to insecure working contracts with unpredictable hours. Now more than ever, with "so many facing uncertainty, being unable to rely on a steady income - even in the short term - is adding to the stress people are experiencing. Living Hours play a crucial role in providing people with financial security, clarity and certainty”.
