The Human Resources Institute is joining union calls for zero hour contracts to be dropped saying it pushes desperate workers too far.
Takeaway chains like McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Starbucks have such contracts, where workers had to be available for work but had no guaranteed hours.
Workers spoken to by Radio New Zealand said the contracts made life difficult as they did not know day to day whether they would be working.
The Institute's chief executive Chris Till said zero hour contracts made workers too open to abuse.
"Zero hours contracts actually reflect and imbalance in the employer and employee relationship and we think that often the circumstances are where people are on minimum wages, they' re probably struggling to meet rising living costs and they're desperate to earn."