Petition · past parliament

Stop agencies fining those who cannot attend work because of an emergency

Closed 163 signatures

What the petition asks

Agencies are currently able to issue fines to workers if they do not give 48 hours prior notice that they are unable to attend a shift. If they have an emergency or illness in that 48 hour window they will be fined, whether or not they provide a reason.
One agency that does this is ROTA, which provides hospitality staff. Given that it is illegal to handle food within 48 hours of diarrhoea or vommiting you could effectively be fined for abiding by the law.

It is outrageous to fine some of the lowest paid in our society. They already give up a lot of rights by having to take zero hour contracts, and to fine those in the most precarious of employment is deplorable.

Timeline

14 Oct 2016 Petition opened for signatures
14 Apr 2017 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 163
Status Closed
Opened 14 Oct 2016
Closed 14 Apr 2017

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.