Make unpaid trial shifts illegal in all circumstances

56
signatures
openDepartment for Work and Pensionsby Abdul-Rauf AsgharOpened 29 May 2026

Background

Make it illegal for employers to use unpaid trial shifts. Require all trial work to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage, with clear rules to prevent misuse.

Additional details

Unpaid trial shifts can be unfair and leave people out of pocket, especially when they last several hours or lead to no job. We believe this mostly affects young people and those in certain sectors. In our view, everyone should be paid for the work they do, and banning all forms of free trial shifts could stop employers taking advantage.

Where it’s popular

Constituencies with the most signatures on this petition.

Source: UK Government & Parliament Petitions service. Petition ID: 768788.