Agency Workers: From Temp To Perm For Businesses?

05/10/2011

By Liz Iles, Senior Employment Consultant at Croner

Now that the new Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) have come into force, Croner is urging businesses that rely on agency workers to consider the impact this will have on their company. The new law requires employers to give agency workers the same basic rights as full-time employees after 12 weeks. If employers fail to comply, they can leave themselves open to employment tribunal claims.

The advice comes after Croner, the UK’s largest provider of workplace information, software and services, found that too few employers are consulting its specialist employment advisory service on the subject.

“The comparative...

...silence is a cause of concern,” says Liz Iles, Senior Employment Consultant at Croner. “Analysis of our call data reveals that less than 1% of incoming calls over the last 12 months have asked about the new regulations. Bearing in mind that we had over 200,000 calls to our employment advice lines in the last year this is worrying. It means a large proportion of businesses that use agency workers were very probably ill-prepared for the 1 October deadline.”

The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 came into force on 1 October 2011. From this date, agency workers have the right to “equal treatment” after 12 weeks in an assignment. They apply to the triangular relationship where individuals are contracted with a temporary work agency and supplied by that agency to work temporarily under the supervision and direction of a hirer.

According to a government report released in October 2008, the manufacturing, transport and financial services sectors are the most likely to use agency workers, in particular those employing 55 or more employees.

“All businesses should be aware of their obligations in relation to the Regulations,” adds Liz. “However if they rely on agency workers they should take action now to avoid future tribunal... continued on page two >

 

 

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