Pictured above: Stephen Hopkins
Employers and agency workers need to take heed, says Birmingham
law firm The Wilkes Partnership: the Government has announced
that the new Agency Workers Directive will come into force in the
UK on 1 October 2011 without any changes.
Stephen Hopkins, employment partner in Birmingham law firm
Wilkes Partnership says: "The regulations give agency workers
entitlement to the same basic employment and working conditions as
if they had been recruited directly, if and when they complete a
qualifying period of 12 weeks in the same job. The effect will be
to provide equal treatment for temporary agency workers, compared
with permanent workers, in terms of basic working and employment
conditions (including pay, holidays, working time, rest periods and
maternity leave) once they have worked for the qualifying period of
12 weeks.
"Both employers and agency workers need to think about the
implications of these changes now - not wait until October."
Other benefits that agency workers will gain from the first day
of their assignment include:
• Information about vacancies so that they have the same
opportunity as other workers to find permanent employment;
• Equal access to on-site facilities, such as child care
and transport services; and
• Improved rights to protect the health and safety of new
and expectant mothers, including the right to reasonable time off
work to attend ante-natal appointments and adjustments to working
conditions and working hours.
Hopkins comments: "The potential situation ahead, particularly
for employers, is fairly clear to see. If people feel they may need
advice, Wilkes Partnership can advise on the latest law in this
field."