Plan to curb zero-hours contracts in care sector
Plans to curb the use of zerohours contracts in the care sector in Wales have been officially unveiled.
Under the Welsh Government proposals, employers would have to offer affected care sector workers the choice of moving to a minimumhours contract after three months of continued employment if there is ongoing demand for their work.
The plans will affect those working in the domiciliary care sector who are on zero-hours contracts.
Domiciliary care is provided to people who still live in their own homes but require extra support with household tasks, personal care and other activities that allow them to maintain their independence and quality of life.
There are currently around 11,000 domiciliary care workers in Wales on zero-hours contracts, the majority employed in the independent sector.
The proposals are being put out to consultation today.
Measures have also been introduced to tackle so called “call-clipping” when employees are not paid for the time it takes them to travel between service users.
Some firms have even been accused of scheduling appointments close together so that inadequate time is left for travel in between.
The new proposals will require domiciliary care providers to clearly separate travel time and care time when preparing employees’ schedules. They would have to consider issues like distance between visits and rush-hour traffic to ensure care time and care quality are not affected.
Advocates of zero-hour contracts say they offer employees flexibility, but opponents argue they are exploitative as employees are not offered minimum hours.
Social Services Minister Rebecca Evans acknowledged that some staff prefer zero-hours contracts for the flexibility they offer, but said they also resulted in uncertainty and insecurity for many and can have a “hugely detrimental” impact.
She said: “Crucially the plans we are putting out to consultation today will ensure employees have a choice.
“After three months of employment, they will be able to choose whether to move on to another zerohours contract or take up alternative contractual arrangements.
“The proposals I have unveiled today are not only intended to offer staff a fairer deal, but also to safeguard the quality of care and support people receive in their own homes.
“Research shows a link between the prevalence of zero-hours contracts and a reduced quality of care, due to issues around the continuity of care and communication between workers and those they support.
“Requiring providers to distinguish clearly between travel time and care time when arranging services, will also improve the experience of people needing care. Doing so will help tackle ‘call-clipping’, ensuring people’s care and support time is not eroded by travel time between visits.”
The consultation is available on the Welsh Government’s website and will run for eight weeks until August 7.
The consultation also includes an extension of the Social Care Wales register of social care workers to include those employed in domiciliary support services from 2018, while it also seeks views on how to increase the supply of social care managers.