Zero Hours Contracts, H&S and Ageing

 Oh my God - yet another serious post. This is getting boring.

The government banning zero hours contracts smacks a little of ideology, if you ask me.

• Zero hours can allow employers to be a bit more flexible, enabling them to employ people in times of high demand and lay them off when business is bad. This stimulates short-term growth.
• In the longer term it can embed economic inequality.
• For some people, zero hours contracts work wonderfully. Anyone who is self-employed is effectively on a zero hours contract.
• It's quite possible for someone on a zero hours contract to identify as self-employed and invoice the person(s) they perform work for, thereby overcoming the ban.
• The NHS nursing bank system is basically zero hours and, if these contracts were to be banned, the NHS would be in an even worse condition than it already is.

I have a compromise whereby the risk, rather than being solely on the employee, is shared. 50% hours contracts. I'd say that was fair. Another suggestion would be to allow them in industries where they're much needed - such as hospitality.

Now for the American Secret Service not being in the roof of the shooter because of Health and Safety concerns. It strikes me that throwing yourself in front of a current or ex-President to shield him isn't too safe either. I wonder what the H&S people have to say about thet?

In another story, scientists have identified an ageing gene in mice which, if blocked, results in the mice living 25% longer. The drawback in humans would be having to work 25% longer, possibly on zero hours contracts.