The trade body wants businesses to make their voices heard in the Government’s consultation on changes to zero-hours contracts and shifts under the Employment Rights Act, stating the changes “are among the most significant operational changes facing hospitality businesses”. The live consultation is seeking views on proposals that will oblige businesses to offer guaranteed hours contracts to eligible employees on zero-hours contracts, provide reasonable notice of shift patterns and introduce compensation for cancelled or changed shifts. Given the extreme financial pressure facing hospitality businesses and the increased and costly administrative burden from the proposed changes, implementation should not commence before October 2028. The threshold at which a worker is eligible for guaranteed hours contracts should be set at eight hours per week or fewer, to genuinely reflect low hours. The reference period for guaranteed hours should be sufficiently long enough to account for seasonal trading, set at either at 26 or 52 weeks.