Zero-Hours Contract: When Can Your Employer Stop Calling You In?

Many young people work with a 0-hour contract. This seems flexible, but in practice it often causes uncertainty. From one day to the next you no longer receive services. No explanation, no message, no pay.
Is that allowed? No, not always.

In this blog we clearly explain when an employer can stop calling you and when not, what rights you have and what you can do.

What exactly is a 0-hour contract?

With a 0-hour contract:

• you do not have a permanent contract hours

• you are called when there is work

• you only receive wages for the hours worked

But important: even with a 0-hour contract you are just an employee. So you have rights.

Can your employer stop calling you?

The short answer: sometimes yes, often not.

It depends on the situation.

Situation 1: you have been working fixed hours for a long time

Have you:

• been working the same days for months?

• structurally the same number hours?

• according to a fixed pattern?

Then there may be a legal presumption of volume of work.
This means that your average number of hours is seen as an agreement.

👉 In that case, an employer may not simply no longer call you up.

Situation 2: no calls = disguised dismissal

Some employers try to "circumvent" dismissal by:

• no longer hiring you planning

• nothing to say officially

• hoping that you will stop yourself

But legally speaking, this can be seen as termination of the contract.
And dismissal rules apply.

Situation 3: reporting sick with a 0-hour contract

Are you ill and the employer then stops ?

Then that is suspicious.
The following may also apply to a 0-hour contract:

• right to continued payment of wages

• protection against disadvantage due to illness

“Then we won't schedule you anymore” is not a valid solution.

Situation 4: the employer says nothing

No text, no email, no explanation.
Just silence.

👉 That does not automatically mean that you no longer have any rights.
In fact, you are often legally in fact stronger.

When is it allowed to stop calling?

An employer is allowed to stop calling if:

• really worked occasionally

• there was no fixed pattern

• the contract ends legally

• there is a clear reason that is applied correctly

But rules also apply.

Are you entitled to wages without being called up?

In some situations: yes.

For example if:

• you worked structurally

• you were available

• the employer wrongly does not call you in

Then you may be entitled to:

• continued payment of wages

• additional payment for missed hours

• sometimes compensation

What should you do? if you are no longer called in?

Use this step-by-step plan:

1. Ask in writing why you are not being scheduled

2. Check how long and how often you worked

3. Save schedules, apps and pay slips

4. Remain available for work

store

5. waiting too long

That's a shame. In many cases, action can still be taken.

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Are you unsure about your situation?

Are you working with a:

• 0-hour contract

• on-call contract

• flexible part-time job

and you are suddenly no longer called?

Then have it checked. It often turns out that:

• the employer goes too far

• you are entitled to wages

• the “silent dismissal” is not valid

👉 Feel free to contact us to have your situation assessed.