A zero hours contract typically involves:

A zero hours contract is a type of employment agreement where the employer does not guarantee any minimum number of working hours for the employee. Instead, the employee is expected to be available for work when required, but they are only paid for the hours they actually work. This arrangement benefits employers by providing flexibility to respond to fluctuating demand for labor without the obligation of assuring regular work hours or job security.

The context of the other options helps clarify why they do not represent the nature of a zero hours contract. For instance, guaranteed weekly hours directly contradict the essence of a zero hours contract, where no such guarantee exists. Similarly, long-term job security and a set number of hours each week are not characteristics of this arrangement, as zero hours contracts are inherently designed for flexibility and do not provide stability or predictability in working hours.