A zero-hours contract is a casual agreement between a business and an individual. The individual generally works for the business but the business does not guarantee any set hours or future work. Similarly, the individual is not obliged to accept particular offers of work from the employer. Zero-hours contracts are particularly useful for organisations whose workforce requirements are variable. For example, businesses that provide event staff.
There are different types of zero-hours contracts. Under some, individuals are legally defined as 'employees'. More commonly, under others (including our Zero-hours contract), the individual will be legally defined as a 'worker'. You should ensure that written contracts contain provisions setting out the employment status, rights, and obligations of your zero-hours staff.