0 hour contract query

[chinahorse]

I am legally obliged to stay longer than the hours I am rota'd to do?

[The One Who]

In a nutshell, no. However, depending on the type of zero-hour contract you have (they aren't universally a bad thing!), you may find that your card is marked and your number of shifts will rapidly decline...

In some sectors (retail is quite bad for this), staff are only paid until the shop closes, say 5pm, but are expected to stay longer to finish tidying up and locking up, so can be there an extra fifteen minutes or so without getting paid for it.

[chinahorse]

Yeah I work in food (ish) so often stay way later than the allocated 1/2 hour after the shop shuts. However I am doing a stock take on sunday (boooo) and will only be paid till half seen. The old manager used to let me go then and finish it herself (shes salaried) but I dont think the new manager will do this and I want to know if come half 7 I can leave.

[The One Who]

What I would do (and have done in the past) is to make it clear at the outset of the shift that you have plans (cinema, theatre, pre-booked dinner, etc) and say that you need to be away at 7.30pm.

Again, though, depending on the specifics of the contract and how good/bad the employer is, you ultimately have few rights when it comes to these sorts of contracts.