The Government has approved the next step towards introducing legislation to tackle precarious work, casualisation and low-hour contracts.

However, employers have voiced grave concern about the proposals, which they say could expose them to being guilty of a criminal offence, as well as increase costs and the administrative burden on business.

The Cabinet today approved draft legislative proposals from Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O'Connor, and Minister of State for Employment and Small Business Pat Breen.

The proposals factor in recent University of Limerick research on the prevalence of precarious work.

They aim to strengthen the regulation of precarious work, which leaves workers, particularly in low-paid sectors, uncertain as to their working hours or their income.

They would also outlaw so-called zero-hour contracts in almost all circumstances to avoid what was described as the contagion of an increase in zero-hours practices in this jurisdiction.

Staff called into work and then sent home will be entitled to compensation equivalent to three hours' pay at three times the national minimum wage, or the rate that applies in an area covered by a legally-binding wage agreement.

Workers will be entitled to clearer information about the nature and core terms of their employment arrangements within five days of commencing a job.

These include the full name of the employer and employee, the address of the employer, the expected duration of the contract (where the contract is temporary or fixed-term), the rate or method of calculating pay, and what the employer reasonably expects the normal length of the employee's working day and week will be.

Where employers breach the proposed legislation, they will be guilty of a criminal offence, though the precise sanctions have not yet been revealed.

Ms Mitchell O'Connor said the legislation would improve employment protection for low-paid vulnerable workers, and would improve the predictability of hours of work and earnings for many employees whose contract of employment does not reflect the reality of the hours they work on a consistent basis.

Mr Breen said a balance needed to be found between protecting the rights of employees and avoiding unintended consequences on business and competitiveness.

He said the Government had listened carefully to all sides to ensure that the proposals are workable in practice, while minimising the impact on businesses.