How is this different than them being an employee (and the employer deciding that they don't have to work on anything)? Also, I thought this was a British-ism,

How is this different than them being an employee (and the employer deciding that they don't have to work on anything)? Also, I thought this was a British-ism, because over there employers can't fire at will and instead once the employee (or employer) has given notice then the employer must keep paying them until the end of the notice period.