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Zero Hours Working Policy Configuration in Plumm

Summary

Zero hours contracts offer flexibility without a guaranteed minimum of hours. This guide explains the legal framework in the UK and outlines how to configure zero hour contracts in Plumm across Profile, Time Off, and Attendance modules.

In this article

  • Before you begin
  • Step 1: Understand zero hours employment status
  •  Step 2: Know your legal obligations
  • Step 3: Configure zero hour contracts in Plumm
  • Step 4: Set up zero hour eligibility in Time Off
  • Step 5: Manage attendance tracking for zero hour workers
  • Step 6: HR system support and compliance
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Before you begin

 This article applies to HR teams in the UK using Plumm for managing irregular hour (zero hour) workers. Admin access is required to configure contracts and leave settings.

Step 1. Understand zero-hours employment status

  1. Zero hours workers are usually categorised as workers, not full employees
  2. No obligation to offer or accept work
  3. Entitled to key rights under UK law, including minimum wage and statutory protections

Step 2. Know your legal obligations

Under UK employment law, zero hours workers are entitled to:
  • National Minimum/Living Wage
  • Holiday pay (accrued at 12.07% of worked hours)
  • Rest breaks (under Working Time Regulations 1998)
  • Statutory Sick Pay (if eligible)
  • Protection under Equality Act 2010
  • No exclusivity clauses (they can work elsewhere)

Step 3. Configure zero-hour contracts in Plumm

  1. Go to My People > [Select Employee] > Work > Contract
  2. Click Edit Contract Details
  3. Under Working Schedule and FTE, choose:
    • Irregular hours (zero hour)
  4. This marks the employee as zero hour for reporting and holiday entitlement
  5. Fill in other required fields such as:
    • Effective Date
    • Pay Type
    • Currency
    • Notice Period

 Plumm highlights zero hour eligibility with a legal note referring to UK holiday reforms starting from April 2024

Step 4. Set up zero hour eligibility in Time Off

  1. Go to Admin > Settings > Time Off
  2. Create or edit a policy and toggle ON the setting:
    • “Applies to irregular hour / zero hour workers”
  3. Ensure holiday accrual method is set to:
    • Percentage based (12.07%)
  4. Assign the policy to the employee through their profile under Time Off > Assigned Policy

Step 5. Manage attendance tracking for zero hour workers

  1. Go to Settings > Attendance
  2. Add or Edit Shift to enable attendance shift applicable for irregular hour employee (zero hour employee)
  3. Workers can be scheduled dynamically without fixed hours
  4. Use attendance logs to calculate working hours and trigger holiday accrual

 Recommended: Use the Attendance calendar module for precise tracking

Step 6. HR system support and compliance features

Plumm’s system supports zero hour compliance with:
  • Contract tagging for irregular hour workers
  • Time Off accrual based on worked hours
  • Activity logs for audit trails
  • Shift notifications and acceptance tracking
  • Payroll exports aligned with UK holiday pay rules

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do I need a separate holiday policy for zero hour workers?

Yes, we recommend creating a dedicated policy with % accrual for zero hour staff.

2 . How is leave calculated for zero-hours?

Plumm calculates holiday accrual as 12.07% of actual hours worked..

 

3. Can I assign a zero hour schedule to full time employees?

No. The contract type must be changed to irregular hours for the system to treat it as zero hour.

4. What happens if I don’t set this correctly?

Incorrect classification can affect leave accrual and may lead to non-compliance with UK labour law.

5. What happens if I don’t set this correctly?

Check the contract summary under the employee profile. It will state “Irregular hour (zero hour)” next to Working Schedule.