Retail giant Sports Direct agreed yesterday to make “major changes” for staff on zero-hours contracts after legal action was brought by a former employee.

Job adverts will be rewritten and employment contracts for future zero-hours staff will make it clear that work is not guaranteed, said law firm Leigh Day.

It said that a legal settlement had been agreed aimed at securing better working rights for 20,000 Sports Direct employees on zero-hours contracts.

“It is good that Sports Direct will now be more open about what a bad deal zero-hours contracts can be for workers. Other companies should do the same,” said TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady.

“But this settlement does nothing to stop the insecurity of zero-hours contracts.

“Nor does it end the fear that zero-hours workers have of getting on the wrong side of their manager in case they are victimised.”