Comments on: The Agency Workers Directive – don’t let it catch you out.

By: Mike Waterton

Mike Waterton — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:42:01 +0000

There are many people who use working via a recruitment agency to give them income and purpose whilst looking for work. The AWD cannot work on a “one size fits all” basis as it would be 180 degrees away from the term “flexible working”.

Why would a mechanical engineer who was made redundant be interested in a permanent role packing widgets in to boxes for 11 hours a day? This person is purely avoiding day time television and putting food on the table whilst a more suitable role comes their way.

As a recruiter with many years standing, I see this kind of thing all the time. The government should be looking to promote recruitment agencies so that businesses can utilise a flexible workforce for peak periods of trading without carrying unrealistic costs.

Also, raising the entry level to recruitment agencies starting up may be far more useful. Rogues and cow boys give the industry a bad name. The GLA goes some way in to monitoring recruiters – but it would have greater control if rules were in place to meet a minimum criteria before being able to run a recruitment business.

When I look for my agency on the search engines I am amazed by the seemingly boundless new agencies that pop up all over the place. Let us get some boundaries in place and raise the profile of the authentic recruitment agency that treats clients and candidates fairly and keeps the economy going the right way.

By: Mags Cadger

Mags Cadger — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:57:35 +0000

It is unclear what the position is regarding pensions. If a company offers a pension scheme to its employee’s does this mean agency workers will have to be offered membership of a comparable scheme?

As both an end-user of interim staff and as someone who also takes on interim HR roles I also have concerns over the negative impact this will have on business and individuals seeking interim work.

By: Badenoch & Clark

Badenoch & Clark — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:06:09 +0000

In response to Mags Cadger:
At the moment pensions are excluded from the definition of pay, but it’s not all good news – it’s on the legislative agenda for 2012.

By: Tina Kitchin

Tina Kitchin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:47:53 +0000

I agree that agency workers in professional services are well paid and many choose this pattern of working. I do not believe they need the 12 week protection. If the Agency Workers Directive is implemented it will remove flexibility and incur higher costs for hirers and consequently there will be less attraction to hire temporary workers.

The UK probably uses more temporary workers than any other EU country and gives UK businesses a competitive edge as we can ensure we have the right skills at the right time for the business. This flexibility is vital for business. Implementing this Directive will remove that flexibility as businesses will be discouraged from hiring temporary workers which will ultimately have an impact on the economy.

By: Tad Woroniecki

Tad Woroniecki — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:11:02 +0000

As you’ve described it, the legislation is likely to lead client employers to think twice about using agency staff and about using them for anything other than a very short period of time. It will also make them think twice about the level of agency premium they are willing to pay, if most of the risks of employment and extra costs are likely to be passed onto the client business.