agency workers regulations 2011

Background

Following a series of seminars that The Rullion Group have organised in conjunction with the REC (the recruitment industry's regulatory body) and Osbourne Clark (a leading UK law firm on employment rights), we have already briefed our key clients on the key components of the forthcoming Agency Workers Regulations, due to be implemented in October 2011.

Overview of Agency Workers Regulations

As part of the UK’s commitment to the European Union, the UK has agreed to implement The Agency Workers Regulations in October 2011.  In essence, these Regulations will address the issue of equal treatment (ET) for all agency workers compared to their permanent employee counterparts. 

It will affect all agency workers, whilst professional/technical agency workers, especially those who can prove that they are 100% self-employed, will be exempt.

The Agency Workers Regulations will take into consideration all aspects of equal treatment including actual rate of pay, and the working environment including some employee benefits such as duration of working time, rest periods, rest breaks and annual leave. The rate of pay will include any fee, bonus, commission or holiday pay or other referable emolument as identified with the comparator.  The comparison of the rate of pay will not include contractual sick pay or occupational pension schemes.

For more information on how the AWR may affect your agency workers, please contact us for more information.