zero-hour contract

• zero-hours contract

zero-hour contract (plural zero-hour contracts)

1. (UK) A contract of employment that creates an on-call arrangement in which the employee agrees to be available for work as and when required, without any particular number of hours or times of work being specified or guaranteed.
   • 2017 March 27, Martin Williams, “The bullying and fear at the heart of zero-hour contracts”, in The Guardian‎:

     But being on a zero-hour contract meant there was no way to defend himself when things took a turn for the worse.

• zero-hours (adjective)